Posted on January 1, 2022
Categories: News from SDP

January 1, 2022

Dear School District of Philadelphia Community,

With guidance and support from the Philadelphia Department of Public Health (see PDPH’s letter here) and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (see latest CHOP statement here), the School District is excited to welcome students back to schools on Tuesday, January 4th. Embracing our students with caring educators and social-emotional supports in the school environments they know and love is the best way to further nurture their well-being as we enter the 2022 new year.

The District’s extensive mitigation measures and safety protocols will continue to be in place in the new year. This includes mandatory masking for students and staff, a vaccine mandate for staff and student athletes, weekly COVID testing for staff, frequent handwashing, air purifiers in classrooms and more. As an added layer of safety in 2022, students and staff who do not comply with the District’s Mask and PPE Protocols will be sent home for the day.

As we all know, the pandemic is ever-changing, requiring all of us to be vigilant and flexible. We will continue to follow PDPH’s guidance on school operations, and keep you informed of any updates. Please only rely on District-sponsored sites such as www.philasd.org and our Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts for timely and accurate information about District operations.

In the meantime, we encourage everyone who is eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccine or booster, if you haven’t yet done so. You can find a vaccine or booster location near you by visiting www.vaccines.gov. And, if your child took their District-issued Chromebook home for the winter break, please remember to send the Chromebook back to school with your child on January 4, 2022.

We wish everyone a safe and Happy New Year!

SDP Office of Communications