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District Postpones Start of Summer BOOST Program to Monday, June 28 to Adjust for Staffing Shortages
PITTSBURGH PA June 16, 2021 – This afternoon, District officials alerted staff scheduled to work its Summer BOOST program to the need to postpone the start date one week (Monday, June 28) to adjust for staffing shortages. During this one-week delay, District staff will need to significantly reduce the number of students served through the program based on student need.
“Our staff has worked tirelessly for students and their families during the pandemic under unprecedented circumstances, and we greatly accept that these challenges have understandably impacted our ability to staff summer positions,” said Superintendent Anthony Hamlet. “After several attempts to recruit staff and adjust the program model, we are forced to take steps to reduce the number of students we will be able to serve as part of our Summer BOOST program.”
The District anticipates the need to reduce the Summer BOOST program by more than 1,000 students should it not secure the necessary staff this week. Students will be prioritized for the program based on need. The communication below was shared with BOOST families today. Families will receive confirmation of their status in the Summer BOOST program this Friday, June 18. Summer BOOST was scheduled to begin June 22 and run until August 4 for students in grades K-11.
Summer BOOST Parent Communication
Good afternoon,
This is the Pittsburgh Public Schools with an important update related to the Summer BOOST Program.
It has been a challenging 15 months since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. We are grateful for all of the hard work and dedication that our families have put in to keeping students engaged and thriving during this unprecedented school year. This year has also understandably impacted employees and our ability to staff summer programs.
A lack of personnel to support the successful implementation of the Summer BOOST program at its current level is forcing the District to postpone the program's start one week to June 28. During this one-week delay, District staff will need to significantly reduce the number of students served through the program based on student need.
This Friday, June 18, 2021, families will receive information on their status in the Summer BOOST program. We know that this information is disappointing, and we deeply regret the challenge it poses for families. The District has made numerous attempts to obtain staff and will continue to try and secure personnel, but we have been unsuccessful. We continue to work to reduce the impact of staff shortages on the program.
Families are encouraged to seek alternative summer options by visiting https://find.alleghenychildcare.org. The year-round resource allows you to search for summer, after-school, and childcare programs throughout Allegheny County. Additional questions may be directed to 412-529-HELP, or submitted via a Let’s Talk Ticket.