Coronavirus
Latest District Updates
August 10: Starting the week of August 17, three Technology Support Centers will be open 5 days/week for families to obtain new Chromebooks, or get help with theirs. More Chromebook info HERE.
August 6: A Letter from the Superintendent About Summer Building Improvements HERE
July 31: Thursday, July 30th, the Board of Education approved the proposed changes to the District’s reopening plan and the 2020-2021 Academic Calendar. The school year will start on Wednesday, September 2, 2020, and all K-12 students will engage in digital learning five days per week. They will also receive instruction from teachers from their enrolled school through the first marking period which ends on November 17.
Students will then transition to a mix of in-person and digital learning as long as guidance from the Philadelphia Department of Public Health and other indicators support it is safe to do so. PreK students in District PreK programs will also receive digital instruction five days per week through the first marking period. A letter with more detailed information was sent to the email address you have on file at your child’s school. 2020-2021 Academic Calendar
July 9: Thank you for participating in our Virtual Town Halls. View recordings HERE.
Click here to read Past Updates
June 23: Thank you for participating in our online survey asking for feedback for Fall 2020. Results and more about our planning approach and timeline at philasd.org/2020schoolstart.
June 20: SUMMER MEAL PROGRAMS UPDATE: Beginning Mon., 6/15, additional meal sites will be available for children & families. Some District sites will change over the summer due to projects at the schools. A complete list of District Schools offering meals this summer can be found on our Grab and Go Meal Hub. Additional sites across the city are updated at www.phila.gov/food
June 11: Information on Chromebooks, Chromebook returns, and report cards in this letter to:
June 9: Technology Support Centers where you can have your child’s District-issued Chromebook serviced will operate as follows:
- Starting Monday, June 15, both centers will operate two days a week on Mondays and Wednesdays only, from 9 a.m. to noon
June 3: Summer Programs have been announced. They will all be virtual.
Working Papers: The District has resumed issuing working papers, under new safety protocols. Due to COVID-19, The School District of Philadelphia will be issuing Working Papers at the 440 Education Center through APPOINTMENT ONLY. Learn more HERE.
Food relief cards: The federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act of 2020 provides benefits, referred to as Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT), to families of school-aged children who would have otherwise received free or reduced-priced meals if it were not for school closures. Learn more HERE.
April 22: The District has released the Continuity of Education Plan that will guide teaching and learning for our teachers and students. Learn more HERE. Planned Instruction details are HERE.
General District COVID-19 Information Hotlines (Support for 10 Main Languages)
T: 215-400-5300 | E: COVID19Info@philasd.org
215-400-8480 – Albanian | 215-400-8481 – Arabic | 215-400-8482 – Chinese | 215-400-8483 – French | 215-400-8484 – Khmer | 215-400-8474 – Portuguese | 215-400-8485 – Russian | 215-400-8489 – Spanish | 215-400-8486 – Vietnamese
Additional Updates
As new information becomes available it will be posted here. Please check back regularly for ongoing updates.
Chromebooks: The District will provide a Chromebook to every student who needs one for learning at home. Visit our Chromebook Loaner page, for more info, a list of helpful How-To resources to help you use the Chromebooks, the Student Signout Form (added 4/14), and answers to some FAQ’s. Internet access info and resources are detailed HERE. Hotlines have been added for tech support, for each language.
Digital Learning: As we move to digital learning, we know parents and guardians are being asked to engage in new roles in their student’s learning. Materials, resources and information will be updated regularly HERE. The District’s Continuity of Education Plan is HERE. Planned Instruction details are HERE.
Lesson plans are posted HERE. Teachers will be using these materials in Google Classroom to interact and engage students directly. Parents are able to view them however the materials were not designed for parents to use with their children independently.
Learning Guides continue to be available for grades PreK – 12 online HERE.
Meals: Grab-and-go meals locations and pickup times sites for all Philadelphia students remains listed HERE. In an effort to further support the City’s shelter-in-place guidance, minimize social interactions and help flatten the coronavirus curve, distribution at our District school sites will be shifting to one day per week. You will be able to pick up a box of 5 breakfast meals, five lunch meals and a ½ gallon of milk for each student in your family. Each box weighs six pounds so we encourage you to bring a wheeled cart or some other way to easily carry the boxes if you are picking up meals for multiple students in your household. Social distancing, the use of masks and gloves, and other safety efforts will continue to be practiced to ensure everyone’s safety as meals are distributed.
General District COVID-19 Information Hotlines (Support for 10 Main Languages)
T: 215-400-5300 | E: COVID19Info@philasd.org
215-400-8480 – Albanian | 215-400-8481 – Arabic | 215-400-8482 – Chinese | 215-400-8483 – French | 215-400-8484 – Khmer | 215-400-8474 – Portuguese | 215-400-8485 – Russian | 215-400-8489 – Spanish | 215-400-8486 – Vietnamese
Additional Updates
As new information becomes available it will be posted here. Please check back regularly for ongoing updates.
Chromebooks: The District will continue to provide a Chromebook to every student who needs one for learning at home. Expanded hours will be posted on our Chromebook Loaner page, along with many other helpful How-To and Internet access resources, FAQ’s and tech Hotlines in multiple languages.
Meals: Grab-and-go meals locations and pickup times sites for all Philadelphia students remains listed HERE. We are working with the City to expand the number of sites and improve access for families for Fall 2020. Updates will continue to be posted as they become available.
updated Aug 10, 2020
Live District Updates
Join Dr. Hite every Wednesday at 3pm on Facebook Live for the latest updates on the coronavirus, school closures, meal plans, learning guides and more.
FAQ’s
As information becomes available, we will update this resource so check back regularly
E-mail your Questions
Submit your questions about content in the Learning Guides or ask general questions about the District closure
SDP Hotline
Support for questions on Learning Guides and general questions about the District closure
Available Mon – Thur, 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
How is coronavirus spread?
Coughing and Sneezing
Touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching your mouth, nose, or eyes
Close contact with people
What are the symptoms?
Fever
Cough
Shortness of breath
How can I help protect myself and others?
Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces and objects
Avoid putting fingers in your mouth, ears, or eyes
Wash your hands regularly with soap and water for 20 seconds
Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze – and wash your hands afterward
If you are sick, stay home until your fever is gone for 24 hours
Resources
The School District of Philadelphia has a guide for how to talk to your kids about coronavirus.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers the most up-to-date information on COVID-19. For updates from CDC, please see the following:
- CDC Interim Guidance for Administrators of US Childcare Programs and K-12 Schools to Plan, Prepare, and Respond to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
- CDC Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
- CDC Frequently Asked Questions and Answers: Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) and Children
Schools can share relevant CDC fact sheets to help students, families, and staff understand COVID-19 along with steps they can take to protect themselves:
- What you need to know about coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
- What to do if you are sick
- Stop the spread of germs – help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses like COVID-19
Other Resources
- The Readiness Emergency Management for Schools (REMS) Technical Assistance (TA) Center website has useful information, resources, trainings, and tools for addressing infectious diseases, related topics, and protecting the school community.
- City of Philadelphia Dept of Public Health “School Guidance to Prevent the Spread of Coronavirus”
- Pennsylvania Dept of Health “Covid-19 Info for PreK”
- SAMHSA Coping with Stress During Infectious Disease Outbreaks
- Child Mind Institute Talking To Kids About The Coronavirus
- NASP – Talking to Children About COVID-19: A Parent Resource (Available in Spanish)