Urban Pathways 6-12 Charter School
2021 -2022 Information
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When is the first day of school? Wednesday, August 25, 2021
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Will UPCS offer a choice of full-time in person, hybrid or virtual learning? UPCS will offer full-time in person learning for the 2021- 2022 school year. We will not have any alternative learning options.
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Will the middle school and high school students have a staggered start time? No All students should arrive by 8 am and dismissal is at 3:30 pm.
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Will cell phones be collected? Yes. Students are not permitted to have their cell phones throughout the school day. Cell phones will be collected at the door and placed in individual plastic zip lock bags and returned at the end of the day.
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Will students and staff be required to wear a mask? All students and staff will be expected to follow current CDC and PA Department of Health guidelines for universal masking. As of June 28, 2021 the Universal Mask Mandate from the governor’s office was lifted for all people in Pennsylvania, regardless of vaccination status. In the absence of an existing, valid and binding order, it is acceptable for someone who wishes to wear a facial covering, as defined by the PA DOH, regardless of vaccination status, to do so in our school building or outside activities.
An update will be provided to all parents and guardians prior to the first day of school. UPCS will continue to follow CDC and The Allegheny County DOH guidelines.
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Will UPCS continue to practice social distancing? Strategies will be implemented to maintain safe physical distancing in classrooms, lunch, and during transitions in the hallways. When feasible, we will reduce class sizes and continue to seat students in one direction. Plexiglass barriers will be in any areas that have interactions at lunch and at the entrance to the offices where 1:1 staff/student interactions may occur. Daily arrival will be through designated doors. All students and staff will walk through the metal detector where the thermal imaging system will accurately measure surface skin temperature.
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Will UPCS maintain additional cleaning throughout the building? Increased frequency of cleaning routines and sanitation procedures will be maintained in the building. Custodial staff will clean high touch surfaces throughout the day. Water fountains have been replaced with water filling stations. UPCS will provide each student with a water bottle. All restrooms have been updated to meet the CDC guidelines with touchless water faucets and touchless toilet flushes.
The building will be deep cleaned once a week using the fogging system with Zero Hazard. If someone tests positive for COVID-19, the building will be deep cleaned and fogged that day.
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If a teacher or student tests positive, does the whole class quarantine? UPCS will follow required reporting process when a positive case is identified:
*The nurse will contact DOH for guidance.
*Information from DOH will be provided to the family and notification to those potentially exposed.
*UPCS will follow DOH guidance following the reporting of a COVID-19 case.
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Will students have to wear uniforms? All students are required to follow the dress code.
Middle School: Student shirts are the polo shirts with a collar, solid white, blue, green, or black. No stripes, patterns, words, or decorations are permitted. Turtlenecks are permitted under the polo shirt. The pants are school uniform pants in khaki or navy blue. Pants are not to be tucked in a boot (no knee high boots). No leggings/spandex, joggers, sweatpants, or denim. No skirts or dresses will be permitted. Shoes must have a fully enclosed heel and toe. No sandals, slides, pool shoes, clogs, slippers, crocs or plastic, shoes with cozy fluff or platform soles, no sheepskin upper or heels more than 2” tall. Students in the 6th grade are permitted to wear uniform clothes from UPCS K-5 School.
High School: Students must have a button down shirt with a collar or polo shirt with a collar. Shirts may be any color and have patterns such as checkered. However, shirts are not to have words or decorations. Turtlenecks are permitted under the collared shirt. The pants are school uniform pants in khaki or navy blue. Pants are not to be tucked in a boot (no knee high boots). No leggings/spandex, joggers, sweatpants, or denim. No skirts or dresses will be permitted. Shoes must have a fully enclosed heel and toe. No sandals, slides, pool shoes, clogs, slippers, crocs/plastic, shoes with cozy fluff or platform soles, no sheepskin upper or heels more than 2” tall.
All Grades: Students are not permitted to wear durags, bonnets/shower caps, hats, bandanas, or picks in one’s hair. No athletic sweatbands/headbands or outerwear headbands/ear coverings are permitted.
Regular fabric or hard headbands, head wraps/headscarves are permitted.
Students are permitted to wear black or brown dress shoes or sneakers.
The only sweaters that students are permitted to wear are the UPCS Cardigan, v-neck, crew neck sweaters with UPCS logo. Any sweater without the UPCS logo is not permitted. Sweaters will be available for sale at the school.
If you have any questions, please contact the office at (412) 392-4601.
Sincerely,
Kathleen Garland
CEO/Principal