I just received notification from the T/E School District with the following letter from Dr. Gusick, the District’s Superintendent — All T/E Schools are closed starting tomorrow Friday, March 13 through at least Thursday, March 26. In addition all school related activities are cancelled.
March 12, 2020
Dear T/E Staff and Families,
I am writing to share that all T/E schools will be closed and all school-related activities will be suspended beginning Friday, March 13 through at least Thursday, March 26.
This afternoon Governor Wolf announced that all schools in Montgomery County will be closed for two weeks and he discouraged non-essential travel within Montgomery County. As you know, the communities of Montgomery County border the T/E School District. Approximately 25% of our teaching staff, in addition to many members of our support staff, reside in Montgomery County. To remain in keeping with the spirit of the Governor’s containment action, TESD employees who are residents of Montgomery County should not report to work. As a result, we will be unable to operate our schools with such a limited number of staff. It is now necessary for us to move to the Closing component of our response plan.
Because Chester County is not in the containment area in the Governor’s declaration, we are able to make our schools accessible to students and families on Friday, March 13. Please feel welcome to visit your child’s school tomorrow during normal hours to gather anything you may need. A Child’s Place has informed us that they will email families directly with specifics regarding their program’s operations.
Earlier today, I sent a framework for a distance learning rollout to TESD students. Based on today’s information, we will revisit the timing of distance learning implementation and send a revised plan to staff and families tomorrow. I will be participating in a virtual meeting with the Secretary of Education tomorrow morning, where I hope to learn more information. The impact of this closing on the last day of school will also be shared in a later communication.
Today Governor Wolf also provided guidance for the entire Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in response to COVID-19. In his address, he made further statewide recommendations to mitigate the spread of illness:
- Suspending large gatherings, events, conferences of 250 individuals or more, and
- Limiting travel to recreational activities like gyms, movie theaters and shopping malls
If you have concerns about yourself or a member of the TESD community being exposed to COVID-19, please contact your primary healthcare provider. Additionally, the CCHD now has a self-reporting online tool available on their webpage. We have also created a District email account, HealthInfo@tesd.net, to share questions, comments, or concerns related to COVID-19 as it relates to the District. We will need some time as an administrative staff to sort through some of the major questions we expect many of you to have.
These are extraordinary times, and I make this decision after careful consideration of an array of alternatives. I do believe this is the right decision for our District at this time, and I trust that the strength of our community will continue to shine brightly as we manage this crisis together.
Sincerely,
Dr. Richard Gusick
Superintendent of Schools