Pennsylvania Gov. "These actions may seem severe," Wolf said, "but they are far less draconian than what we may have to do in the future if we don't act now.". And it will suspend issuing REAL ID cards in many eastern Pennsylvania counties, including Montgomery, Philadelphia, Chester, Delaware, Berks, Bucks, Lancaster and Lehigh counties. Mass transit will also stay open, though Amtrak service from the Ardmore train station will stop for two weeks, and Amtrak will reduce its schedule in the county starting tomorrow. Dover Police Arrest A Man After A Shooting At A Dover HotelAuthorities say they responded to the Capital Inn in Dover at about 12:32 a.m. Sunday for a … If students, teachers, and staff return to the classroom the week after Thanksgiving, Arkoosh said Thursday, it “could trigger a very substantial outbreak within our schools.”, While the county order runs through Dec. 6, board chair Michael Laign said it was possible it could be extended — “whether it’s by the state or us, if we’re looking at the situation at the time … deciding to go beyond that.”. Massive shutdown of Montgomery County shows us what to expect across Pennsylvania Your schools, stores and theaters will be closed if the governor's first response is any indication. We are working to make by appointment services available and will post details as soon as they are available. Megan Hughes, 17, a senior at Perkiomen School, a private institution in Pennsburg, on Saturday attended a protest in Norristown outside the Montgomery Department of Public Health office to speak out against the remote-learning order. With the district offering both hybrid and virtual instruction, Bertrando said in some grade levels, so few students are attending school physically — at the high school, daily attendance is 117 out of 1,600 students — that buildings are already relatively empty. While the Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s schools in Montgomery County will switch back to virtual instruction on Nov. 23, its schools in other counties will continue to offer in-person models. CHOP lab recommends Philly-area schools close amid coronavirus surge. Gov. The health and well-being of our shopper and tenant community is our top priority. How Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) reaches decisions about weather-related school closures, delays, and early dismissals. Details about closure of schools, delayed openings, early dismissals, and more. “We are so depopulated right now that going virtual has sort of happened by default,” said Bertrando, who said many students have chosen virtual instruction because of involvement in extracurricular activities — thinking there was “less of a chance they’d have to quarantine.”. The decision came as the number of coronavirus cases accelerates in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Check frequently for updated information on school delays, early dismissals, school closings, and school cancellations in Montgomery County Pennsylvania due to winter and inclement weather, as well as other emergencies related to Montgomery County & the surrounding County PA area. But Pennsylvania Health Secretary Rachel Levine said this week that the state is not planning to order school shutdowns as it did when the pandemic emerged in March. Some districts have already been grappling with staffing shortages as employees are forced to quarantine because of exposure to positive cases — not necessarily in schools, but in the community. MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Pa. (CBS) — Pennsylvania Gov. Action News and 6abc.com are Philadelphia's source for breaking news and live streaming video online, covering Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware. Val Arkoosh, a physician who is chairperson of the county commissioners, said Thursday county hospitals were treating 171 patients with the coronavirus — up 70 people from a week earlier, and up 100 from two weeks before. Garnet Valley, also in Delaware County, plans to remain open “unless mandated by the Health Department or the governor,” said superintendent Marc Bertrando. Neshaminy students currently attend school in a mix of online and in-person classes, though the district paused its plan to return children to school buildings full time by Nov. 2. "My advice to our business community is to work from home now or risk not being operational later, due to employees becoming exposed or ill," Arkoosh said. Two more cases of the new coronavirus were announced in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania on Saturday. In the Neshaminy School District in Bucks County, "at this time, we are not changing our plan,” said spokesperson Chris Stanley. Members said that while they had heard parents' frustration, the shutdown was a proactive approach to a rapidly escalating problem. Wolf had previously announced mass closings first in Montgomery County and then in Delaware County. The Montgomery County Office of Public Health (OPH) supports the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s guidance for Recommendations for Pre-K to 12 Schools Following Identification of a Case(s) of COVID-19. In Phoenixville, Fegley said he expected some impact on staffing as a result of the Montgomery County order, but wasn’t sure how significant it would be. School Delays, Closings and Weather Cancellations for Montgomery County PA Click here to refresh school closings and delays Check frequently for updated information on school delays, early dismissals, school closings, and school cancellations in Montgomery County Pennsylvania due to winter and inclement weather, as well as other emergencies related to Montgomery County … Find out quickly below if snow, cold or other weather emergencies is causing winter snow delays or closings at your school … Wolf asked that a massive lockdown be put in effect in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, to combat a worsening outbreak of coronavirus in the suburban Philadelphia region. For the 2020-21 school year, there are 157 public schools in Montgomery County, PA, serving 116,424 students. Gov. But we do not have the authority to make schools open," Dr. Valerie Arkoosh, Montgomery County Commissioner, said last week. Officials said they were concerned the situation would only worsen around Thanksgiving. 2021 school district ratings, test scores, and statistics for public schools in Montgomery County. Pennsylvania Gov. Montgomery County has one of the highest concentrations of top ranked public schools in Pennsylvania. If the school year is disrupted by emergencies and schools are closed three or more days, dates in 2020 identified as possible make-up instructional days include: June 16-22, April 6, April 7 and January 27. Officials in Montgomery County said this week they are concerned about the virus’ proliferation, after the county’s 14-day average rate of positive test results topped 5% — a threshold that experts say indicates community spread. If schools are closing early, the announcements are made by 11:00 a.m. Schools may be closed 2.5 hours early, and all operations affecting dismissal of students, including bus transportation, will be activated 2.5 hours earlier than the regular school closing time. Tom Wolf ordered the closure of all schools, universities, gyms, entertainment venues and community centers in Montgomery County starting Friday. Some say they’re staying put. Tom Wolf announced that all K-12 schools will be closed for 10 school days starting Monday. Some say they’re staying put. All other schools – including private, parochial, and institutions of higher education – should be consulted directly for the most current closure information. © 2021 The Philadelphia Inquirer, LLC Terms of Use/Privacy Policy/California Notice California residents do not sell my data request. Wolf also asked all non-essential retail stores to close, and some were quick to do so, including the stores at Willow Grove and Plymouth Meeting malls. The Montgomery County office of public health said they will now vote Friday at 12 p.m. on whether to start two weeks of virtual-only school beginning Nov. 23. I can take my children bowling, out to lunch, and to a trampoline park, but they cannot go to school. Tom Wolf has ordered the closing of all schools in Montgomery County, as well as other public venues there such as community centers, … Assessment for Move to Virtual Education during COVID-19 Pandemic . The schools that must close include all education facilities, including colleges and universities. Montgomery County, PA public schools have an average math proficiency score of 57% Staff writers Melanie Burney and Kristen A. Graham contributed to this article. “I am really ready to close the high school at almost any minute,” Klaus said. At that time, schools in Montgomery County, the early epicenter of outbreaks in the Philadelphia region, were the first in the state to be ordered closed. Schools in Montgomery County won’t open for traditional classes in the fall, but hundreds of elementary schoolchildren may be taking part in … As of Friday morning, 17 of the 28 positive COVID-19 cases were in Montgomery County, including a Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia doctor and a Lower Providence police officer. NBC10 reporter Deanna Durante attended a press conference Thursday held by county officials. Schools to be closed include public K-12 schools, including brick and mortar and cyber charter schools, career and technical centers (CTCs), and intermediate units (IUs). **Guidance and Recommendations will be updated on Mondays by 12:00pm.**. Stephanie Stahl reports. Other schools also said they weren’t backing off in-person instruction. So far, other counties in the region have not indicated they intend to impose similar orders. Montgomery County Guidance for Reopening for Pre-K to 12 Schools As Montgomery County Pre-K to 12 schools start to plan for the upcoming 2020-21 school year while dealing with on-going COVID-19 pandemic, Montgomery ... used by a sick person should be closed … The Montgomery County Board of Health on Friday ordered all K-12 schools to close for two weeks beginning Nov. 23, a mandate county officials described as a necessary attempt to help slow the surge in coronavirus infections. No conferences or rallies can be held in the county. Unlike in the spring, as officials scrambled to respond to the pandemic and schools were forced to close en masse, “I see more thoughtful decisions,” said Alan Fegley, superintendent of the Phoenixville Area School District in Chester County, which was sticking Friday with its hybrid in-person and virtual offering. While all buildings will be closed to all visitors at County historic sites, outdoor areas at these sites and throughout the County Parks system will remain open according to normal schedule to visitors with guidelines established in the Governor’s order. This time, however, Philadelphia schools are already closed for in-person instruction, with no set return date. Drastic measures are being taken to curtail the spread of the new coronavirus in Montgomery County after it became the epicenter for COVID-19 cases in Pennsylvania. Those initial school closures had a ripple effect, prompting Philadelphia schools to close because many staff members lived in the county. And, any state employee traveling in and out of Montgomery County is being directed to work from home. But Pennsylvania Health Secretary Rachel Levine said this week that the state is not planning to order school shutdowns as it did when the pandemic emerged in March. o One Montgomery Plaza, 425 Swede Street, Norristown, is closed to the public but open to employees. In other school districts, like South Jersey’s Haddonfield, large numbers of students are quarantining. The board did not take public comment Friday, but after the meeting, plans of protests against the order were percolating on Facebook. pic.twitter.com/A9wKWSrj3B. Thirteen of the state’s 22 identified coronavirus patients are residents of Montgomery County, one of the four collar counties ringing Philadelphia in the far southeastern corner of Pennsylvania. News about the coronavirus is changing quickly. At the time of this writing, Montgomery County has thus far closed schools, but nothing else. As of Friday night, at least 46,000 schools nationwide had been closed or were scheduled to close, affecting at least 21 million students, according to Education Week. Weather Decisions; School Closings and Other Emergency Procedures. o One Montgomery Plaza, 425 Swede Street, Norristown, is closed to the public but open to employees. Full-day kindergarten will follow the regular education school schedule. And the three state parks in the county have closed as well. Montgomery County Public Schools officials have now announced schools are closed today because of emergency weather conditions. Also Thursday, Arkoosh detailed the four newest cases of the new coronavirus in Montgomery County: a 35-year-old man who lives in Skippack, a 58-year-old man and a 53-year-old woman who live together in Lower Merion and a 58 year old woman who lives in Conshohocken. The Montgomery County Office of Public Health has voted for all schools, both private and public, to move to all-virtual learning for two weeks starting Nov. 23. Like most districts, Phoenixville is also offering a fully virtual option. Pennsylvania School Calendar 2020 and 2021 Please choose your school district in Pennsylvania from the list below to view a calendar of your 2019-2020 school holidays. Contact Montgomery County Public Schools. The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia PolicyLab this week called on schools around the region to return to virtual instruction, saying that, although schools haven’t appeared to be the source of most infections of children or staff, surging caseloads are increasing the risk of in-school transmission and complicating contact tracing efforts. “I feel completely safe in school,” Hughes said, adding she is worried about being stuck at home again. Jury trials -- criminal and civil -- and jury duty in the county are canceled through March 27, according to a memo from the county court system, though essential government services will continue. But don't worry, we update this page regularly so you'll be the first to know if your school is closing or will have delays due to bad weather. Full coverage of the COVID-19 outbreak and how it impacts you. For schools in counties with “substantial” transmission — at this point, a category that includes almost all of Pennsylvania — a building with fewer than 500 students that records five or more COVID cases over 14 days is recommended to close for two weeks. Tenant community is our top priority 10 school days starting Monday nothing else accelerates in Pennsylvania the education. Far, other counties in the County stay open, including colleges and universities around Thanksgiving follow the regular school. 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