Latest school district impacts caused by COVID-19 across Pittsburgh region

PITTSBURGH — COVID-19 continues to impact a number of school districts in our area. From staffing shortages in school buildings to bus driver emergencies, here are the latest impacts to districts issued Wednesday evening:

Sto Rox School District

In a notice posted on the district’s Facebook page, officials in Sto Rox said students will transition to remote learning on Monday, Jan. 10 and Tuesday, Jan. 11.

Pittsburgh Public Schools

Officials with Pittsburgh Public Schools announced the district would be employing rolling building closures to fight staff shortages.

Currently, there are 29 buildings closed for the rest of the week. They are scheduled to reopen on Monday, Jan. 10:

• Pittsburgh Allegheny PreK-5
• Pittsburgh Arlington PreK-8
• Pittsburgh Arsenal 6-8
• Pittsburgh Carmalt PreK-8
• Pittsburgh Carrick High School
• Pittsburgh Classical Academy 6-8
• Pittsburgh Concord PreK-5
• Pittsburgh Faison PreK-5
• Pittsburgh King PreK-8
• Pittsburgh Langley PreK-8
• Pittsburgh Liberty PreK-5
• Pittsburgh Lincoln PreK-5
• Pittsburgh Manchester PreK-8
• Pittsburgh Mifflin Pre-8
• Pittsburgh Miller PreK-5
• Pittsburgh Milliones 6-12
• Pittsburgh Montessori PreK-5
• Pittsburgh Obama 6-12
• Pittsburgh Perry High School
• Pittsburgh Phillips PreK-5
• Pittsburgh Morrow PreK-5
• Pittsburgh Science and Technology Academy 6-12
• Pittsburgh Sterrett 6-8
• Pittsburgh Student Achievement Centers
• Pittsburgh South Hills 6-8
• Pittsburgh Weil PreK-5
• Pittsburgh Westinghouse 6-12
• Pittsburgh Westwood
• Pittsburgh Whittier PreK-5

Woodland Hills

In an alert notice posted on the district website, officials with the Woodland Hills School District announced it will transition to remote learning for the rest of the month of January.

The notice said students will begin virtual instruction on Friday and that it will remain that way through Jan. 28.

Here is a letter issued by the district:

Dear Woodland Hills School District families and staff,

Due to the rise in the number of COVID-19 cases in the district, the Woodland Hills School District will shift to virtual learning effective Friday, January 7 and continuing through Friday, January 28.

The district’s COVID Response Unit - which consists of members of the school board, administrators and district health advisors - made the decision to move to virtual learning based on a number of factors, including the ability for the district to provide necessary transportation for scholars, the ability to have appropriate staff coverage in our buildings, and the well-being of our scholars, staff and families.

The number of documented cases in Allegheny County is approaching 5,000 per day. The Omicron variant of COVID-19 is highly transmissible, and we’re seeing rates of transmission amongst our scholars, faculty and staff that are concerning. Based on the number of scholar absences, the impact on transportation, the need for staff coverage of classrooms, and the concern we hold for the overall health of the Woodland Hills community, we felt it was best to shift to virtual learning.

Teachers and building administration will report to their school buildings each day while the district is in virtual learning. Teachers will conduct classes from their classrooms while scholars are expected to log on for instruction from home. Scholars have been instructed daily over the past week to take their Chromebooks home with them each day. If scholars do not have their Chromebooks at home, parents and guardians should reach out to their building principals.

Extracurricular activities, including athletics, will continue with the recently implemented policy limiting spectators to two per participant. As demonstrated during previous stretches of virtual learning, allowing our scholars to continue their participation in extracurriculars is beneficial for their overall health and well-being while navigating the challenges of virtual learning.

The COVID Response Unit acknowledges that in-person learning is the most effective education method for our scholars. It will continue to analyze data and evaluate the best opportunity to return to in-person learning. We will advise families of our next steps during the beginning of the week of January 24.

The Woodland Hills School District is committed to the health and safety of its students, staff and their families. We will continue to monitor cases in our district and in Allegheny County, and we will provide updates as warranted. We thank you for your patience and support during these challenging times.

Sincerely,

The Woodland Hills School District COVID Response Unit

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