Dear School District of Philadelphia Families,

We appreciate your patience and understanding as we regularly review data to identify any school(s) where we will need to temporarily provide virtual learning for students due to COVID-related staffing challenges. Based on this afternoon’s data review and with safety as our highest priority, six more schools will provide 100% virtual learning for students this week, Tuesday, January 18th through Friday, January 21st, 2022. These six schools, which are in addition to those announced on Friday, are as follows:

• Hancock Demonstration School
• James G. Blaine School
• Louis H. Farrell School
• Roberto Clemente Middle School
• Samuel Pennypacker School
• Thomas Edison High

Principals and teachers will be contacting students and families directly with more information about virtual classes. Staff at these schools are still expected to report to work in person unless they are ill, self-isolating or quarantining due to COVID testing or exposure, or have an approved leave.

As a reminder, five-day meal boxes will be available for pick-up on weekdays from 9-10 a.m. and 1-2 p.m. for any School District student who is temporarily learning virtually or quarantining at home. Visit philasd.org/covidupdates for details about the 24 grab-and-go meal sites and for the up-to-date list of schools that will provide virtual learning this week.

All other schools beyond those listed on the philasd.org/covidupdates website will provide in-person learning at this time. 

Please know that we continue to do everything we can to safely keep as many of our schools open as consistently as possible. We are committed to making school-by-school decisions based on the most current staffing data, and will provide the next update by 10 p.m. today. Staffing conditions can still change quickly so we ask that you continue to prepare for the possibility of virtual learning at any time.

Thank you and enjoy your day.

 

Dr. William Hite
Superintendent