May 17, 2021
Dear Families,
As you are no doubt aware, the CDC has recently released new guidance on gathering limits, social distancing, and masking orders. While we are encouraged by these positive changes, it is important to note that the Pennsylvania DOH and PDE recommend that schools continue to abide by their current social distancing protocols and continue to require masks.
The Indiana Area School District will follow these recommendations. For the remaining few weeks of school, IASD will continue to follow the Health & Safety Plan that was established and utilized throughout the 2020-2021 school year. We are in the home stretch and have successfully navigated the challenges that have come with in-person instruction. Nevertheless, we are continuing to see cases, including at the elementary level where vaccinations are not yet an option for students. We will stay the course in the hopes of finishing strong.
We are happy to announce that with the lifting of the restrictions, we will be able to offer the families of each graduate up to ten (10) tickets for this year's commencement celebration. Students and staff will be socially distanced as per the Health and Safety Plan, but we cannot guarantee the same distancing for spectators. Because we cannot maintain six feet of distance between all spectators it will be necessary for us to establish and maintain a seating chart for contact tracing purposes should they become necessary. The assigned seating will be random and configured in the best way possible to provide as much space between groups of guests as possible. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, but it is a necessary step to allow students’ families to attend this important milestone event. All spectators, participants, and students will be required to wear face coverings that cover the nose and mouth for the duration of the ceremony. Specific instructions on how the tickets will be distributed will follow from the Senior High School Senior Class.
Over the summer, we will monitor the situation closely and adjust our protocols to meet the changing recommendations from the state DOH, the PDE, and the CDC. We will also examine those recommendations and mandates as we consider the best protocols for the 2021-2022 school year.
As always, I appreciate the school community’s grace, understanding, and flexibility during these ever-changing times.
Sincerely,
Michael J. Vuckovich
Superintendent