Good evening, LMSD Families, 
Lower Merion School District staff have worked throughout the weekend on plans for remote learning during the COVID-19 school shutdown. Flexible instruction days will begin on Wednesday, March 18, 2020. Principals will be contacting families tomorrow (Monday) with additional details. We are also continuing to collect information from families who will need access to the internet and devices in order for students to engage in online learning. If your family needs a device, please call 610-645-1910 and leave a message including the student's name, school, grade and your phone number, so that the District can work to provide your family with a device. Please call this number before midnight tonight. Priority will be given to families with no devices in their homes.
In addition, we want to make you aware of an offer from Comcast. The company is offering families two months of free internet access through the Internet Essentials program. The flier for this offer is attached to this email. If you need internet access, you can sign up for the program starting tomorrow, Monday, March 16, 2020. Sign up by calling 1-855-8-INTERNET (1-855-846-8376) or by going to InternetEssentials.com.
Next, we want you to know that the District is working on a plan to provide meals to students who depend on the free and reduced lunch programs. We hope to send you more information about how we will provide meals tomorrow and we hope to have the meals available starting Tuesday, March 17, 2020.
Finally, a reminder that the purpose of the school closure ordered by Governor Wolf is to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Please follow the recommendations of the CDC, health care experts and Governor Wolf. By staying at home except for essential activities, we can protect our own health and minimize the spread of the virus. Hand washing and keeping a safe distance from others has never been so important. It is best to avoid large group gatherings, playdates, parties, etc. 
If you feel ill, even with mild symptoms, you may have been exposed to the virus. Or, you may have the common cold, flu or allergies. If you are ill, avoid contact with others, stay at home and call your health care provider for more direction. If you experience severe symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, call 911 or your health care provider. We can't prevent COVID-19, but we can slow the spread of the disease. A slower spread of the disease avoids overwhelming the health care system and other essential agencies and results in a smaller number of cases over time.  
Thank you for your patience, understanding and cooperation as we continue to work through this challenging time as a community.
Yours truly, 
Amy Buckman
Dir. School and Community Relations
Comcast Internet Essentials Offer 

Neighbors and Businesses,

In these unprecedented times, it is so vitally important for all of us to comply with the orders from officials in Public Health.  When the Governor issued his initial order for Montgomery County, many businesses were unsure whether their operations are considered essential or non-essential.  Please take a moment to read the attached letter from the PA Department of Public Health that will answer many of your questions.

To summarize the letter: If you operate a theater, gym, exercise facility, hair salon, nail salon, or a bar, then you should 'temporarily cease regular operations'.  As business owners ourselves, we know that this instruction cuts deep; bringing stress and even more questions.  We ask for compliance and patience. Further information will inevitably become available from every level of government.

If you are a concerned citizen asking, "Which public places are the highest risk for me?", I would refer you to the same letter.

Please help us to protect our community by adjusting your daily life to follow the orders and advice of the Governor.  Your compliance will save lives and will keep this crisis to a matter of a few weeks rather than unknown months of severe disruption.

Sincerely,

Aaron Muderick, President
Narberth Borough Council

Andrea Deutsch, Mayor

Narberth Borough
Declaration of State of Emergency

Dear All,
As Mayor of the Borough of Narberth, please let this letter serve as my Declaration of a State of Emergency in the Borough of Narberth for the next 7 days. This order shall allow Borough Council to help effectuate and pursue the goals stated by the Governor of Pennsylvania as given on March 12, 2020 relating to Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.
​
Mayor Andrea M. Deutsch

​Thank you for reaching out.  I really appreciate you taking the governor’s guidance to heart and closing (your restaurant) right away.  It shows your commitment to our community and your forward thinking in leading a local business.   

​I have received some additional guidance today regarding best practices for restaurant operation during this public health mitigation effort.  

The first step would be to have a policy in place for employees so they feel comfortable and financially supported if they, or a member of their household, begin feeling ill.  If that happens, it is imperative that they not come to work to protect you, other employees, and your customers.  Additionally, you should have a clear policy in place for staff regarding the sanitization of common contact surfaces.

The Montgomery County Department of a Commerce suggests that converting the restaurant to a pick up only operation (with payment handled online to reduce person-to-person interaction) is one way to maintain continuity in your business while protecting public health.  Another suggestion is that, if you were to reopen your dining room, you could alter the seating arrangement to expand the distances between patrons to be at least 4-6 ft. 

While remaining completely closed offers the most protection for you, your workers, and the community, it is my obligation to share all of the current options with you.

I hope this is helpful.  I will share additional information as I become aware of it.

Best,
Aaron Muderick 
President, Narberth Borough Council

Message from the Chief of Police
Please know that I initiated a Police Action Plan on March 10th in response to the Coronavirus so that basic police services will continue, uninterrupted. Police vehicles are equipped with medical bags that contain personal protective equipment to use, as needed; thereby, allowing officers to protect themselves while responding to medical-related calls for service and other assignments.
As the Interim Emergency Management Coordinator, I organized an Emergency Management Roundtable on March 11th with our Public Safety Team, which included Mayor Andrea Deutsch, in response to the Coronavirus. Follow-up Emergency Management meetings with the Public Safety Team will be conducted weekly, or as needed. We are using local, state and federal partners to gather real-time intelligence and information regarding this matter. Communications received from these sources will be shared, as received.
In the meantime, per the Center for Disease Control, adhere to the following guidelines:
•Maintain a distance of at least six (6) feet from others
•Practice proper hygiene
•Wash hands frequently, but especially after coming in contact with other people and commonly-touched surfaces, including but not limited to counters, door handles, money, keyboards, public seating
•Try not to touch face with unwashed hands, but do wash face, in particular around the nose and eyes, while washing hands
•Remove footwear at the door when returning home, as many germs can be tracked inside via shoes, sneakers and boots
•Practice basics to keep healthy, like staying hydrated, eating properly, getting sleep and going outside for exercise and fresh air
•Avoid mass gatherings
•Consult with a family physician or emergency room if exhibiting described symptoms
Be aware that it is difficult to process information about this disease, because there is just so much of it coming from multiple sources (news, social media, conversations), but people should not panic. First responders (police, fire, medics) are trained to recognize that hysteria does not help. What happens is not nearly as important as how it is handled. Things may be changing by the hour, but this situation, like so many others, will eventually calm and pass.
However, I can assure all residents, business owners and visitors that, until it does, Borough of Narberth emergency services, professional staff, public employees and elected officials will work together as a team, and, in the end, our community will be okay. Enjoy the weekend and have fun with family and friends.
Thank you for supporting the Narberth Police Department.
John Gallagher
Chief of Police
Narberth Police Department

Hi Everyone,
Pinnacle will not reopen before March 28th. Narberth Borough and Lower Merion Township continue to increase safety precautions for the health and well being of our community. The next 13 days are a time for the Pinnacle Community to distance themselves from those who would put themselves in harm's way. This virus is not going away. The efforts being taken are trying to limit exposure to a virus that today alone killed 250 people in Italy. Montgomery County, our part of Montgomery County is the epicenter. Our updated cleaning protocols will need to continue and know that everyone who works in the fitness center will be trained before we reopen. When we return, our community will have had the chance to find out if someone is displaying symptoms of this life-threatening virus. We are a community of young and old, diverse in background. This virus does not care. Many in our community have survived and endured more than they should. I will not put their health at risk. Take stock of your health now, not missed opportunity. Our community will be stronger with this overt, transparent attempt to keep people healthy. 
I truly wish all of you the best of health, not only in the coming days, but for many years to come. Our Pinnacle family sets an example for what "community" is supposed to be about. I am incredibly fortunate to have gotten to know so many of you so well. It is those friendships that make the decision to uphold the recommendations of our Governor and local government so easy to make. The recommendations are to protect you. Please take care of yourself and our community.

In good health,
David Heath
Owner- Pinnacle Training and Fitness
632 Montgomery Avenue, Suite 1
Narberth, PA 19072
mypinnaclefitness.com