Southeast Allegheny News

St. John Fisher Church issued the following announcement on Aug. 17.

Action based on advice from local medical experts to support goal of in-person learning

Schools of the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh will begin the 2021-2022 school year with mandatory masking indoors for students, faculty, and staff -- regardless of vaccination status -- unless medical or developmental conditions prohibit their use.

“Although we had hoped to be in a position to allow optional masking, that is not possible at this point in time,” Michelle Peduto, director of Catholic Schools, wrote in an August 17, 2021, letter to students, families, teachers and staff, available here.

“The protocols for quarantining in an optional-mask environment would significantly compromise our ability to provide in-person instruction. We must evaluate how the first month of classroom instruction impacts COVID numbers for students of all ages.”

During the 2020-2021 school year, schools of the Diocese of Pittsburgh maintained in-person instruction. Some grades or schools occasionally closed temporarily to prevent the spread of COVID.

“Parents, teachers, staff, and students demonstrated extraordinary resilience, faith and courage as we met our goals for keeping students, faculty and staff safe and for keeping students physically present in school.  Our intent is to navigate the COVID situation this year as well as we did last year,” Peduto wrote.

With emerging variants of COVID-19 in mind, “Our goals continue to be to keep staff and students safe while providing five-day-a-week in-person instruction,” she wrote.

The following policies draw on guidelines of county, state and federal public health agencies, and the counsel of local pediatric and infectious disease physicians:

• Masks are required inside all school buildings (Pre-K to 12) for all staff and students who are two years or older, unless medical or developmental conditions prohibit their use.  This includes all vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals.  Frequent mask breaks should be provided, which is best done outside.
• Masks are required on buses and public transportation.  All bus regulations must be followed in order for students to utilize those services.
• Configurations of classrooms and lunchrooms will employ physical distancing strategies in the least restrictive manner possible, while maintaining a safe environment.
• School employees and students will continue to focus on hand hygiene.
• Schools will continue to adhere to cleaning and disinfecting procedures.
• Schools will continue to keep classrooms properly ventilated and will conduct as many activities as possible outside.
• Positive COVID cases will continue to be reported to the appropriate health departments. We will continue to follow their guidance on quarantines, in accordance with CDC guidelines. 

The mask policy will be re-evaluated in late September. As was the case last year, these policies are subject to change, based on updated federal, state and county guidance.

“The mission of our Catholic schools is to provide an environment where your children, God’s children, can encounter Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior each day.  We live that mission by loving God above all things and loving our neighbor above ourselves.  It is our belief that this policy statement best demonstrates both,” Peduto wrote.

Original source can be found here.