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PASD Health and Safety Plan **UPDATED FOR 2021-2022 **

2021-2022 School Immunization Requirements

Inclement Weather Updated Procedures 2021-22

CDC Immunization Schedule

High School Honor Roll

Elementary Honor Roll

Portage Area JR/SR High School Course Catalog

Registration Packet

The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), provides eligible households $30 per month off their internet bills through participating companies. Twenty leading internet providers, including United Way partners Comcast, AT&T, and Verizon, are participating in the program and offering ACP-eligible households a high-speed internet plan for no more than $30 per month. If eligible families pair their ACP benefit with one of these internet plans, they have the ability to receive high-speed internet at no cost.

There are three different ways to qualify for the ACP benefits, and households are eligible if they meet any one of the three qualifications below:

(1) Their income is at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines; (2) they meet the eligibility requirements for a participating broadband providers existing low-income internet program; (3) or someone in the household participates in one of the following programs:

· Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as Food Stamps

· Medicaid

· Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)

· Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

· Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA)

· Veterans Pension and Survivors Benefit

· Free and Reduced-Price School Lunch Program or School Breakfast Program, including at U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Community Eligibility Provision schools – ALL PASD are eligible for this program because we are a CEP district

· Federal Pell Grant (received in the current award year)

· Lifeline

· Certain Tribal assistance programs, including Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance, Head Start (only households meeting the income qualifying standard), Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (Tribal TANF), and Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations

Signing up is easy and can be done online, by mail, or through a service provider.

LOCAL GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

Obtain a minimum 24 units of credit

NON-VO TECH STUDENTS Required credits obtained in Grades 9-12, are as follows: English – 4 credits; Social Studies – 4 credits; 7 Total Credits in Math & Science (Math minimum – 3 credits; Science minimum – 3 credits); Health & Physical Education – 1 credit; Driver Education - .25 credit; and the remaining credits will consist of electives to add up to at least 24

VO TECH STUDENTS Required credits obtained in Grades 9-12, are as follows: English – 4 credits; Social Studies – 3 credits; 6 Total Credits in Math & Science (Math minimum – 3 credits; Science minimum – 3 credits); Health & Physical Education – 1 credit; Driver Education - .25 credit; and 3-9 Vo Tech credits and electives to add to at least 24.

Calendar Links

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The artwork of 9 Portage Elementary SIXTH grade students is on display at the Cambria County Community Arts Center.

The student art show runs through May 27th and only includes artwork only from grades 6 – 12.

Congratulations to the following 6th grade students whose artworks are featured in this museum exhibit:

Raymond Asfar

Mya Burda

Isabella Geer

Gianna Gentile

Lindsay Grove

Sara Halerz

Thor Koban

Eden Myers

Kaedyn Rice

And a special recognition goes out to THOR KOBAN and SARA Halerz! Their pastel artworks each won a ribbon and a cash prize.

Portage Area Jr Sr High School receives awards in Community Arts Center Student Art show

This years Community Arts Center of Cambria County student show will take place from May 13-May 27^th showcasing local student art talent from area school districts. Twenty talented Portage students were selected to participate in this show from the High School. Portage Area students Jordan Bilak, Allison Gabel, Julia Papcun and Rylee Tomko all receive awards at the opening reception on May 12^tt,2022.

If you would like to view the student exhibit you can visit the gallery during normal business hours Monday-Friday 10am-5pm or on Saturdays 10am-2pm. Admission is free. The Community Arts Center of Cambria County is located in Westmont, 1217 Menoher Boulevard.

Congratulations to Jordan, Allison, Julia and Rylee!

Third grade participated in Lockheed Martin's Engineers in the Classroom Program. Three engineers visited the students to teach them about their careers and mechanical and industrial engineers. The told the students some of the most important things about being engineers is learning the process of how things are done and thinking outside the box. The students had the opportunity to be engineers for a while. They first learned how airplanes fly and what keeps them in the air. Then they made 3 different types of paper airplanes and took turns flying them. As they flew their planes, the were encouraged to make changes to the planes to help them fly better. The students had a great time and we might even have some future engineers in the making! A big Thank You to our guests

An American Heart Association (AHA) CPR ( Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation)Class was held on 5/17/2022 from 1:00pm -4:30 pm at the PAHS. The course was offered to students in grades 7-12. A total of 15 Students voluntarily signed up for a CPR course held by our district nurses' Mrs. Lisa Dividock and Mrs. Laura Glass. Both nurses are certified AHA association instructors. The course offered Heart Saver Adult and included optional modules for a Child CPR AED (Automated External Defibrillation) , Infant CPR, First Aid Training along with and a written exam. All 15 of our students and our very own Principal Mr. Ralph Cecere completed and successfully passed the course work in both cognitive and skills evaluations in accordance with the curriculum of the American Heart Association Heart Saver CPR/ AED program. Participants were provided a hard copy of their certification for completing the course work. It was a fun, and awesome experience for all. The participates now realized how important their role could be in saving a life in the event they are faced with an emergency. Mrs. Dividock and Mrs. Glass love teaching our students!! We also, truly appreciate our school board, and our administration, Mr. Zelanko, Mr. Noel, Mrs. Pisarski, Mr. Cecere and Mr. Burkett for supporting this endeavor other the years.

Student Participants included: Matthew Coffee, Cole Ellis, Ethan Geer, Isaac Geer, Kyra Giordano, Kaylie Grove, Addyson Jodon, Arabella Koban, Abrielle Koban, Sydney Leturgey, Isabella Miller, Payton Noll, James Rummell, Ryan Semanchik and Lauren Shaffer.

The Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) is a temporary subsidy program from the Federal Government designed to help low-income households connect to the Internet and stay connected during the COVID-19 crisis. Qualified households can receive a temporary monthly credit of up to $50/month (up to $75/month for customers in Tribal lands) toward their Internet service and leased Internet equipment until the program's funding runs out.

Link: https://www.xfinity.com/learn/internet-service/ebb

Internet Essentials

Low-cost, high-speed Internet access for qualified households.

Link: https://apply.internetessentials.com/

If your child has been deemed a “close contact” for a COVID-19 exposure at school, they may still attend school if asymptomatic, wear a mask, and do testing as per the district’s test-to-stay program. To help children/parents with access to rapid testing, the district participates in the State’s free testing program which allows for students to be rapid tested at the school at no charge. In order for a child to be tested, a parent or guardian MUST complete the on-line consent form. No student will be tested without the consent of a parent/guardian. The consent form can be found at https://testcenter.concentricbyginkgo.com/minor-consent The access code for a HS aged student is PAHSCONSENT; the ES code is PAESCONSENT

This COVID-19 testing program also provides the opportunity to participate in weekly pooled testing if desired.

Dec 3, 2021

Test-to-Stay Program

Over the past year and a half, the number of students and staff placed in quarantine has been tremendous. Both parties have been forced to participate in remote learning while enduring the quarantine period even though they remained healthy. While a valiant attempt by everyone to maintain education during challenging times, the school district recognizes remote learning is not in anyone’s best interests.

Recent statements from CDC indicate “Test-to-Stay” strategies, when combined with regular mitigation measures, as a promising practice for minimizing the disruption of quarantine on students, families, and schools while maintaining a safe and healthy learning environment. Based on the CDC statements, the PA DOH has issued preliminary guidance for school leaders who wish to adopt test-to-stay in their schools.

Beginning Monday, December 6, 2021, The Portage Area School District will implement a Test-to-Stay (TTS) program. Individuals deemed close contacts of an exposure to the virus can continue in-person learning so long as they wear a face covering in schools, remain asymptomatic, and serially test negative for COVID-19 during what would be the quarantine time.

After being deemed a close contact, individuals who wish to avoid quarantine and remain with in-person learning must:

Remain asymptomatic;
Wear a face covering while in school buildings;
Be tested for the virus within 2-4 days of the exposure;
Be re-tested for the virus within 5-7 days of the exposure. (test 1 and 2 cannot be administered on consecutive days)

The following test results will be considered eligible to fulfill the testing requirements of the TTS program:

Rapid antigen tests administered on-site through the district’s testing program. Parents/guardians of students and individual staff members who choose to enroll in the TTS program and be tested in-school must actively consent to testing conducted for the program.
Rapid antigen tests administered through a health care provider
As per CDC and PA DOH, at-home tests are not eligible for meeting testing requirements for participation in the district’s TTS program

If an individual test positive or becomes symptomatic at any point during the TTS program, they should immediately isolate. Symptomatic individuals will no longer be eligible to participate in TTS and must quarantine as per CDC recommended protocols.

The TTS program is only intended for school-based exposures. Individuals who were exposed to COVID-19 in non-school settings (e.g., household exposure) are not eligible for TTS under any circumstances and should continue to follow the latest quarantine protocol.

TTS may not be an appropriate strategy for all individuals. Parents/guardians and individual staff members may elect to NOT participate in TTS, and instead follow the normal CDC recommended protocol for exposure.

Please note that the TTS program guidelines are subject to change, or be rescinded, as additional data become available. The school district will follow guidance as provided by CDC and/or PA DOH.

Eric Zelanko, Superintendent

Portage Area School District

84 Mountain Ave.

Portage, PA 15946

(814) 736-9636 ext 1560

Class of 2022 Graduation Ceremony

Kindergarten Graduation 2022

QUICK LINKS

The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP)

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Greater Johnstown Student Art Show

Community Center of Cambria County art show

Second Grade Zoo

Third Grade Engineers in the Classroom

Engineers in the Classroom

Isolation and Quarantine Periods *Updated 12-30-2021

RESOURCES