2021-2022 Archive

COVID-19 Dashboard

_{Final for the 2021-2022 School Year:  High School: 6 active/200 year to date; Martin Meylin: 0 active/111 year to date; Hans Herr: 2 active/90 year to date; Lampeter: 0 active/72 year to date}

Our top priority is maintaining the health and safety of students and staff. The District is closely monitoring the developing coronavirus (COVID-19) situation and receiving communications directly from local, state, and federal agencies. We will continue to share information on this page as it is released. Thank you for your patience and understanding during this rapidly-changing situation.

Public meetings are streamed live on YouTube.

• February 28 - Mask Order on School Transportation Removed
• January 4 - Updated Isolation and Quarantine Recommendations from CDC and PA DOH
• December 10 - PA Supreme Court Decision - Mask Order
• November 11 - Mask Order Court Decision, Notice of Appeal
• November 10 - Mask Order Court Decision
• September 10 - Revised Face Covering Exception Request Form
• September 2 - Department of Health Order
• August 27 - Welcome Back/COVID Reminders Letter
• August 5 - Approved Health and Safety Plan
• July 15 - 2021-2022 Health and Safety Plan Draft

February 28 - Mask Order on School Transportation Removed

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has exercised its enforcement discretion to not require the wearing masks on buses or vans operated by public or private school systems, effective February 25, 2022. (CDC update)
Effective immediately, the District reverts back to our original Health & Safety Plan approved by the Board of School Directors. This approved plan makes the wearing of masks optional for students and staff in our District buildings AND while using school transportation.

January 4 - Updated Isolation and Quarantine Recommendations from CDC and PA DOH

As previously communicated, when schools experience a positive COVID case in a building or school-related activity we will continue to utilize in-depth case investigation, contact tracing, and collaboration with local health professionals and the PA Department of Health (DOH). While school districts do not issue quarantine or isolation directives, we will continue to assist the PA Department of Health by identifying close contacts in the school (or school-related) setting. “If” your student is identified as a close contact in the school setting, or school-related activity, you will receive an electronic Updated Close Contact Form from your student’s school building to make you aware that your student is a close contact and provide you with the recommendations to follow from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

December 10 - PA Supreme Court Decision - Mask Order

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court struck down the Acting Secretary of Health’s school masking order, effective today, December 10, 2021. School districts received confirmation of this Order from the PA Department of Education this evening.

Effective immediately, the District reverts back to our original Health & Safety Plan approved by the Board of School Directors in August. This approved plan makes the wearing of masks optional for students and staff in our District buildings.

Please note that this recent decision does not impact the continued federal mask requirement on school transportation.

November 11 - Mask Order Court Decision, Notice of Appeal

As communicated yesterday, the Commonwealth Court on Wednesday, November 10, released its decision on a challenge to the Pennsylvania Department of Health Mask Order that determined the Order was invalid.

The Wolf Administration responded by filing an appeal to the PA Supreme Court. The filing of this appeal triggers an "automatic stay” (technically known as a supersedeas) of the Commonwealth Court’s decision, and has the legal effect of keeping the masking order in effect until the PA Supreme Court issues a ruling otherwise. The PA Department of Education has issued a statement, in light of the "automatic stay,” noting that schools should continue to observe the masking order throughout the duration of the court’s proceedings. The legal advice we have received confirms the status of the Acting Secretary’s Order at this time.
The District's previously approved Health & Safety Plan includes language that “the District will adhere to any existing, valid and binding orders from the PA Department of Health or other governmental agency regarding facial coverings.” The District now reverts back to the previous components of the masking Order requiring the wearing of face coverings in school buildings (including the allowable student exception form process).
We will continue to monitor the legal status of the appeal and share information as it becomes available.

November 10 - Mask Order Court Decision

The Commonwealth Court on Wednesday, November 10, released its decision on a challenge to the Pennsylvania Department of Health Mask Order that took effect September 7. The decision can be viewed here.

The court ruled that the mask order is void because it was not adopted in compliance with the regulatory review process. Therefore, the majority of the court ruled that the Order was not lawful.

Effective immediately, the District reverts back to our original Health & Safety Plan approved by the Board of School Directors in August. This approved plan makes the wearing of masks optional for students and staff in our District buildings.

We understand the Commonwealth Court decision may be appealed. We will continue to share information as it becomes available. Please note that this recent decision does not impact the continued federal mask requirement on school transportation.

September 10 - Revised Face Covering Exception Request Form

Dear L-S Families,

Lampeter-Strasburg School District is providing an update on the implementation of the Acting Secretary of Health’s Face Covering Order, which took effect on September 7, 2021. We recognize that the implementation of this Order has been a challenge on many fronts, and are sensitive to the needs of all of our families.

The District understands that it may be difficult to obtain a letter from the student’s medical provider in the short period of time provided by the Acting Secretary of Health and the Pennsylvania Department of Education. To accommodate our families, the District has updated our Face Covering Order Exception Request process. We will accept the documentation on the updated Exception Request Form with the understanding parents/guardians may need to participate in additional discussions with District personnel and that the school district may need additional documentation from the student’s medical provider.

All families requesting a medical exception to the Order will need to complete the updated Exception Request Form as soon as possible. Please complete a separate form for each student. Completed forms should be returned to the student’s school building. Incomplete or altered forms will not be accepted.
Please be reminded that the update to the Acting Secretary of Health’s Face Covering Order exception process does not impact the federal requirement that face coverings must be worn by all students on school transportation.

The Board of Directors and school personnel sincerely appreciate everyone’s understanding as we work together to balance the needs of all families while implementing the Order. We look forward to continuing to partner with all stakeholders with a continued focus of educating students. Please reach out to your student’s building principal with any questions regarding the updated exception process/form.

Thank you,
Lampeter-Strasburg School District

September 2 - Department of Health Order

This communication from Dr. Peart addresses and answers questions about the masking order recently issued by the PA Department of Health.

August 27 - Welcome Back/COVID Reminders Letter

This letter outlines safety protocols for daily COVID screening, contact tracing, and adherence to existing, valid, and binding orders applicable to schools.

August 5 - Approved Health and Safety Plan

The Board of School Directors approved the 2021-2022 Health and Safety Plan at their meeting on Monday, August 2.

July 15 - 2021-2022 Health and Safety Plan Draft

On August 2, 2021, the Lampeter-Strasburg Board of School Directors will review the district's draft Health and Safety Plan for the 2021-2022 school year. The district is seeking community feedback prior to this meeting. This plan is required by the federal government as a result of receiving Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds. The plan must address how the district will maintain the health and safety of students, educators and staff. The plan will also provide local guidelines for all instructional and non-instructional school activities.

The Board of School Directors previously shared expectations for the upcoming 2021-2022 school year that includes in-person instruction five (5) days a week. In addition, our expectation is that:

Staff and students will not be required to wear face masks while at school.
Staff and students will not be required to be vaccinated in order to work at or attend Lampeter-Strasburg schools.
Staff and students who wish to wear face masks as a mitigation measure will be permitted to do so, but that will be their personal choice.
The Lampeter-Strasburg School District is planning for students and staff to return to full-time in-person instruction for the 2021-2022 school year on August 25, 2021.

Click here to read a full draft of the Health and Safety Plan.

If you would like to provide input related to this plan, please complete this short survey. Please limit responses to one per household. The deadline to complete this survey is Monday, July 26, 2021.