Covid-19 : Larger Latrobe loses senior excessive staffer to covid-19, continues to supply in-person classes

A employees member at Larger Latrobe Senior Excessive has died of problems of covid-19, based on an electronic mail despatched to district school and employees on Thanksgiving Day.

A day earlier, the varsity board voted to proceed providing in-person instruction for district college students, whereas covid-19 case ranges are within the “substantial” vary and rising in Westmoreland County.

Superintendent Georgia Teppert acknowledged within the electronic mail that district officers realized Terri Sherwin, a senior excessive secretary, died Wednesday night from covid-19 problems.

Teppert described Sherwin as “a wonderful employee who will be missed by the entire GLSD family.”

She mentioned grief counselors have been readily available at the highschool Friday to assist employees who’re dealing with the loss and will probably be accessible once more in particular person or just about on Monday.

Larger Latrobe college students have had the selection since Nov. 16 of attending in-person lessons 5 days per week or receiving full-time distant instruction. Larger Latrobe has determined to proceed that blended tutorial model after state officers on Monday issued new directives for public colleges situated inside counties which have substantial covid-19 ranges.

The board voted Wednesday to have Teppert and faculty board President Dr. Michael Zorch signal a state-required doc testifying that the district will comply with state pointers for mitigating the unfold of covid-19 whereas Larger Latrobe continues to supply instruction in school rooms and the county virus transmission stage stays within the substantial vary — with greater than 100 instances per 100,000 residents.

In keeping with information tracked by state officers, Westmoreland had 321.2 instances per 100,000 residents for the week ending Thursday, up from 249.three for the earlier week.

The board rejected the brand new state-directed various of shifting to full-time distant instruction for all college students.

“You can either sign this attestation, saying you’re going to stay in school but you’re going to follow the new guidelines they just put out, or you can attest that you’re going to transition to a fully remote learning model,” Solicitor Ned Nakles informed the board.

Nakles mentioned the brand new state directive confirms that the choice to supply in-person instruction is one native faculty boards could make, however he famous that would change if Larger Latrobe have been to obtain a direct order from Pennsylvania officers to shut its colleges.

“It’s a fluid situation,” he mentioned. “Every time we think we have the tiger by the tail, we get some new guidance.”

State mitigation necessities name for college kids and employees to take care of social distancing and to put on face coverings whereas in district buildings.

College board member Heidi Kozar, who voted towards Wednesday’s attestation decision, expressed doubt that both requirement will be adopted to the letter.

She mentioned there are school rooms on the junior excessive that don’t permit for sustaining 6 ft of social distance. She additionally mentioned employees can’t be consistently watching college students to ensure they’re sporting face masks correctly and retaining their distance from one another.

“It makes me very nervous,” she mentioned, additionally voicing concern concerning the potential for transmitting the virus after college students may have “gone off to the four winds” to participate in household Thanksgiving actions.

Teppert acknowledged there are junior excessive school rooms that present lower than 6 ft of social distancing, however she famous dividers on scholar desks present extra safety. She mentioned all tutorial areas permit for greater than four ft of distancing, which she indicated falls inside a World Well being Group advice for distancing of between three ft and 6 ft.

Teppert famous district households have been suggested for a while to alert district directors of any plans for college kids to journey outdoors the world.

Nakles famous district officers have been initiating contact tracing for any scholar or employees member who has examined constructive for covid-19, reasonably than ready for state officers to deal with the duty.

The district reported two energetic covid-19 instances amongst college students and 6 amongst employees, as of three p.m. Wednesday.

Three district dad and mom spoke in favor of retaining college students in school rooms at Wednesday’s particular assembly.

Jeff Himler is a Tribune-Overview employees author. You possibly can contact Jeff at 724-836-6622, jhimler@triblive.com or through Twitter .