Category: Government Actions

AAP: Head Lice No Reason to Send Students Home (October 2, 2022)

According to guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released Sept. 26th, schools should not send students home or keep them away from school due to a case of head lice — the annoying but not dangerous tiny, wingless insects that feed off the blood in the human scalp. In fact, “no-nit” policies that forbid an infected student from returning to school could violate students’ civil liberties and create psychological stress.

When cases of head lice are identified in schools, AAP advises confidentiality due to the stigma that having head lice can bring to a student and family. The infected child’s caregivers should be notified by phone or through a note sent home with the student at the end of the school day with recommendations for prompt and proper treatment. 

Head lice screening programs in schools have not been proven to reduce the incidence of head lice in schools, are not cost-effective, and may stigmatize children suspected of having head lice, the AAP guidance says. Instead, schools should increase understanding and management in the community, including communicating that head lice is not a public health hazard, an indication of poor health, or responsible for spreading any disease.
The AAP guidance, an update from 2015, aligns with recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Association of School Nurses (NASN). Previous AAP guidance also discouraged the exclusion of infected children from school, but the new recommendations share newer, safer topical treatments and describe the drawbacks of certain school head lice policies.

To access the AAP guidance document, click here.

Links to head lice guidance from AAP, CDC, and NASN can be accessed on the PAPSA website under the “Resources” drop-down and clicking on “Downloads” or by clicking here.

For more information from K-12 Dive, click here.

Source: K-12 Dive

PDE Announces Teacher of the Year Program (September 22, 2022)

The Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year Program (PA-TOY) recognizes excellence in teaching by honoring K-12 teachers in public education who have made outstanding academic contributions to Pennsylvania’s school-aged children. It is our sincere hope that you or someone in your educational community will take time to acknowledge the efforts of those teachers who have worked to achieve excellence in the classroom. With the challenges our educators have faced over the past few years, let’s show them our support.

Each school district, IU, CTC, and charter school may nominate a deserving educator from both the elementary and secondary levels. Please encourage local education agency (LEA) educators, parents, students, and community members to nominate an outstanding educator. Efforts to recognize a deserving teacher in your LEA are deeply appreciated.

The nomination form, along with additional information about the Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year program may be found at https://nnstoy.org/chapter/pennsylvania. The nomination form is completed and sent to Tim Dzurko at [email protected]. Nominations received after December 17, 2022, will be considered for the following year.

When a nomination is received, the nominee will be sent an application, which will be due back to Tim Dzurko at [email protected] by January 15, 2023. A total of 12 finalists will be selected from across the commonwealth and honored at a state awards ceremony in December of 2023. There are three rounds of scoring for PA-TOY: application, phone interview, and videotaped teaching lesson with a message to pre-service teachers.

One finalist will be chosen as Pennsylvania’s 2024 Teacher of the Yearand will represent Pennsylvania at the 2025 National Teacher of the Year ceremony at the White House.

If selected as the Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year, duties may include:

Year 1: Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year

  • Represent Pennsylvania’s teachers at the state level
  • Serve as the keynote speaker at various conferences, school districts, charter schools, intermediate units, and post-secondary schools
  • Facilitate workshops and professional development sessions for school districts, charter schools, intermediate units, and post-secondary schools
  • Participate as necessary in interviews with local, state, or national media outlets and publications
  • Apply for National Teacher of the Year with guidance from PDE and NSTOY-PA
  • Serve as keynote speaker at the annual Standards Aligned System (SAS) Institute, and mentor the newly named Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year

Year 2: Pennsylvania Candidate for National Teacher of the Year

  • Represent Pennsylvania as the state’s nominee at the National Teacher of the Year conference
  • Serve as a spokesperson for teachers across the commonwealth
  • Attend the National Teacher of the Year Ceremony at the White House in Washington, DC
  • Attend Space Camp at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama

Timeline:

1. Through December 17, 2022: Nominations accepted for 2024 PA-TOY
2. January 15, 2023: Deadline for nominated teachers to submit applications to NSTOY-PA
3. March 2023: 12 finalists notified
4. December 2023: 2024 finalists and Teacher of the Year named at SAS Institute  

Questions about Pennsylvania’s Teacher of the Year Program should be directed to Barbara Clemmer, State Coordinator, at 717-425-5728 or [email protected].

PDH Releases SHARRS Reporting Window Reminder (September 20, 2022)

On September 20, 2022, PDH Division of School Health Chief Colleen Schultz disseminated a PennLink message titled Reminder: 2021-22 SHARRS Reporting Window, which advises recipients that the SHARRS reporting window will close on Friday September 30th 2022. Staff responsible for completing the SHARRS report are also advised to ensure reporting information is submitted in a timely manner.  There are many schools that have not yet submitted their report, and PDH wanst to ensure all school districts receive their reimbursement for the 2021-22 School Year.

 The memo also notes the following:

  • The Superintendent/CEO is the only person with the capability to submit the report. 
  • SHARRS programming will close the reporting window at close of business Friday September 30.  Therefore, timely submission of information is essential in order to be reimbursed for the 2021-22 School Year.

SHARRS can be accessed at https://apps.health.pa.gov/SHARRS/Login.aspx  An “INSTRUCTIONS” button on each page provides additional guidance to assist in completing the report.

DHS Receives Federal Funding to Support Medicaid Beneficiaries Receiving Care Services in Their Community (September 20, 2022)

On September 20, 2022 the PA Department of Human Services (DHS) announced that Pennsylvania has received an estimated $12 million in federal reimbursement funding from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for the Money Follows the Person (MFP) Program to continue to support new and existing activities that meet the criteria for MFP funding. 

The MFP program allows states to leverage federal dollars to help Medicaid beneficiaries who live in institutions receive services they need in community settings instead. The MFP program provides the state with the financial flexibility to allow services to “follow the person” as older Pennsylvanians or those with a disability transition from an institutional setting back into the community. 

Since 2008, Pennsylvania’s participation in MFP has helped more than 4,500 individuals transition into the community, and MFP funding has provided Pennsylvania an estimated $180 million to cover a percentage of Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) and administrative activities.   

MFP funding can be used for education/outreach, trainings, IT enhancements and data analytics, capacity building, and pilot programs. Projects funded with this year’s federal MFP administrative reimbursement include:   

Capacity Building for the Dual Diagnosis Population and Individuals Under 21  

The Capacity Building Institute (CBI) Strategy educates, informs, and trains staff to identify and work with individuals who have a dual diagnosis of an intellectual disability/autism and a co-occurring mental illness. CBI offers high-level education with a focus on best practices in supporting individuals with complex needs. Funding will also support a new education and training initiative   to build the capacity of the systems involved in serving individuals under 21 with developmental and intellectual disabilities with complex needs.  

START PA 

The START (Systemic, Therapeutic, Assessment, Resources, and Treatment) PA Program is a community-based program that assists individuals with an intellectual disability or autism and have a co-occurring mental illness. These individuals are at a higher risk for inpatient hospitalizations when they experience crisis and require a high level of specialized skill in assessment and treatment approaches. START PA builds upon local resources, works to close current gaps in the systems of care, and provides crisis intervention and response services and supports for these individuals in the community instead of in State Hospitals or State Centers. 

Trauma Awareness and Intervention Programs  

The COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown caused or exacerbated trauma for individuals with complex needs, and participants and providers needed resources to prepare for and respond to these individuals. MFP funding will support a collection of “micro-learning” resources about COVID-19 response and other trauma-related issues, which are updated and disseminated by the Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO) Project via a hub-and-spoke knowledge-sharing network. The ECHO Project addresses population health needs in a scalable way via telementoring and collaborative care.  

More information on MFP can be found here.

Wolf Administration Congratulates 10 Schools Named 2022 National Blue Ribbon Schools by the U.S. Department of Education (September 20, 2022)

The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) has congratulated 10 schools in the commonwealth that have been selected as National Blue Ribbon Schools by the U.S. Department of Education (USDE). The award is based on each school’s overall academic performance, or the progress made to close the achievement gap among students.

“We are incredibly proud of the 10 schools across the commonwealth recognized by USDE today. This is a highly coveted recognition and is just one more reason to applaud the education professionals dedicated and committed to ensuring our students receive a high-quality education,” said Acting Secretary of Education Eric Hagarty. “This further reinforces why the Wolf Administration has made it a top priority to support high-quality education for every student.”

The coveted National Blue Ribbon Schools award recognizes the efforts made by schools to create safe and welcoming spaces where students can master challenging and engaging content. 

The following Pennsylvania schools were recognized:

  • Bethel Park High School, Bethel Park
  • Hepburn-Lycoming Elementary School, Cogan Station
  • Council Rock High School South, Holland
  • Mother Teresa Regional Catholic School, King of Prussia
  • Elk Valley Elementary School, Lake City
  • Corpus Christi School, Lansdale
  • New Hope-Solebury Middle School, New Hope
  • Arts Academy At Benjamin Rush, Philadelphia
  • Rockwood Area Elementary School, Rockwood
  • Oswayo Valley Elementary School, Shinglehouse

With its 39th cohort, the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program has awarded approximately 10,000 awards to more than 9,000 schools. The National Blue Ribbon School award affirms and validates the hard work of students, educators, families, and communities in striving for – and attaining – exemplary achievement.

Click for more information about the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program.