- Hempfield School District
- Learning Options: Choose Your Pathway
General Learning Options FAQ
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What if a student was due to be evaluated for services in the spring but this did not occur due to the forced closure and subsequent online delivery of instruction? What happens next?
Permissions will be coming in the next month to initiate the evaluation process for students who were not evaluated and for those who the evaluation process was inconclusive due to the inability to test the student. Once permission is signed by the parent/guardian, the evaluation process will begin.
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How will Speech, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy and any other Related Services be provided?
For the in person option, services will be provided as they were prior to the school closing in March 2020.
In the virtual and HAVEN options, student will receive their services virtually with the group/pairing they would be assigned, if in school. The student will participate via GoogleMeet.
In the home education option, as in a typical school year, students will not receive these services through the school district.
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How do the reopening options impact IEPs and GIEPs?
- For the in person option, students will receive their services as they have previously in brick and mortar school.
- In the virtual and HAVEN options, students will receive their services with their case manager in the group/pairing they would be assigned, if in traditional school. The student will attend via GoogleMeet at the same time as their group/pairing.
- In the home education option, students will not receive their services through the school district. This is not a change from other school years because the student is not affiliated with Hempfield School District when receiving home education.
In all cases, there may be a need for the IEP/GIEP team to meet and make revisions to plans as they pertain to the instructional choice. These are uncertain times for all of us. Please keep in mind that the IEP is a fluid document, and IEP teams can meet to discuss concerns and make necessary revisions.
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Would the district consider delaying the first day of school?
At this time, we are not looking to delay the start of school unless directed to do so by Governor Wolf, the Department of Health, or the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
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If a parent/guardian chooses to drive to a sporting event, can the sports event be delayed because of other school pickup obligations?
No, this is not possible. Sporting events will run as determined by the LL League, unless changed by the Athletic Director and/or LL League.
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What do the activity/sports buses look like in terms of seating and mask wearing?
Any student on a bus must wear a facial covering. There is no exception.
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Because many details are being ironed out, can a family change their mind before the start of school?
Individual student decisions must be submitted by Wednesday, August 5 at 11:59 p.m. We ask that families make a final decision before submitting the student information form with the 2020-21 learning option selection. Anyone who does not submit a student information form by that time will be considered an in-person student with bussing provided in both the morning and afternoon.
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Is August 25, 2020 still the first day of school for Hempfield students?
Yes.
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What are the choices for sending my student back to school?
Our goal is to provide options for families about how students can safely return to school for the 2020-21 school year. We want families to make the best choice for their children and respect the individual decisions that must be made for each student and family.
We are providing four options for “Safely ReunKNIGHTing.”
Option #1 = In Person: attend Hempfield classes in our school buildings with increased health/safety protocols.
Option #2 = Virtual Learning: virtually participate in scheduled Hempfield classes from home using Google meet. Classes are taught in real time by Hempfield teachers.
Option #3 = HAVEN Online Learning: attend Hempfield’s independent and flexible, full-time cyber learning program. Classes may or may not be taught by Hempfield teachers.
Option #4 = Home Education: family establishes learning goals and objectives and uses a curriculum of their choosing while adhering to Department of Education parameters.
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When will I have to make a final decision for the 2020-21 school year?
Parents and guardians are asked to complete a Student Information Form for each student enrolled in Hempfield for the 2020-21 school year. We want to provide families adequate time to consider the four options and make their selections, while balancing the need to plan for the school year as it relates to class placements and busing. We ask that parents and guardians complete the Student Information Form by 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, August 5.
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Will before and after school programming continue to be offered at the elementary schools?
Yes, the Hempfield recCenter will continue to offer before and after school programs in our elementary buildings. We expect this to continue, even if the Governor forces the closure of schools. For more information on these programs, email the recCenter.
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Can I change my student’s learning option throughout the school year?
To provide the best learning experience for students, we ask that families make a commitment to their selected learning option for a specific time period. For virtual learning, secondary students commit to 45 days at a time (marking period) and elementary students commit to 60 days at a time (trimester). For our HAVEN program, students commit for a period of 90 days (semester). Regarding Home Education, there is no no specific commitment. Students will need to re-enroll in the district if the Home Education option is initially selected.
