Tensions ran high throughout the Pennsbury School District community in the days leading up to the Thursday, July 30 school board meeting, during which a fall reopening plan was to be approved.
As board members combed through countless emails and Facebook comments, trying to get a sense of whether parents preferred a fully virtual or hybrid start, they truly got a sense of how passionate some feel about a certain model. According to board president T. R. Kannan, one individual threatened to call Homeland Security on him if he didn’t choose their preferred method.
More than 1,000 people tuned in to the virtual meeting to hear the final decision, but the situation seemed to only get more confusing as the night stretched on. With concerns about biology labs in an all-virtual environment, less instruction time in a hybrid format and how students with an IEP (Individualized Education Program) will still receive special guidance, the discussion ran for a whopping five hours.
At midnight, several things were decided.
First, all students will start the school year fully remote. Instruction will be led by a Pennsbury teacher and will include synchronous (live videos) and asynchronous (self-paced) activities, plus regularly scheduled virtual office hours. Grades 6-12 will use the platform Canvas and grades K-5 will use Google Classroom, with district-issued devices given to students who need one.
While Superintendent Dr. William Gretzula proposed offering a hybrid option beginning Monday, Oct. 5 if it’s safe, this caused an uproar across most of the board. Members said this may be too soon, and they were hesitant to fully commit to the date. They voted to revisit the matter toward the end of September.
“It would ensure the meaningful connections between teachers and students,” said Gretzula of the hybrid model. “I don’t want that to be lost.”
This model would divide the students who choose it into two groups. The first group would attend in-person lessons on Monday and Wednesday, and work remotely from home on Tuesday and Thursday. The second group would have the opposite schedule. All would learn remotely on Friday. Classrooms would be arranged to provide the maximum distance of 6 feet where feasible, with desks arranged in the same direction. All students and staff would be required to wear a face mask or covering.
A survey showed that 23 elementary teachers, 13 middle school and 13 high school teachers would utilize medical leave if this option was selected.
It was also agreed, aside from three “no” votes, that the 2,200 students with IEPs will have the option to attend school in-person beginning Sept. 8. This went against Gretzula’s wishes, but was championed by board member Christine Toy-Dragoni, who voted “no” on all students starting virtually.
“The world is moving forward,” she said. “It’s time for the hybrid model, and I am saddened that we have bumped it back to Oct. 5.”
Board member Chip Taylor saw both sides.
“Looking back years from now, we have two possible outcomes of regret. One outcome is that we overreacted, went totally virtual and because of that, there were temporary delays in student development, economical hardships and personal hardships, and people scrambling to get healthcare so they could continue to work,” he said. “The second outcome, and the one that I fear, is that we open. And because of our decision to do so, someone in our community was harmed or possibly dies.”
If and when hybrid is offered, board member Debbie Wachspress expressed fear that teachers will be overworked. They’ll need to create lesson plans for the two hybrid groups as well as those who choose to remain fully virtual, which will be an option throughout the year. It was suggested that classes be live streamed so that all students, whether they’re in the classroom or at home, can absorb it at the same time. Board member Howard Goldberg added that live streaming more intensive lessons, such as a biology lab or calculus course, would be beneficial.
For the younger students, especially kindergarteners who have yet to experience a traditional classroom setting, the board may consider a “college model.” Half the class would attend in the morning and the second half would arrive in the afternoon, with the space thoroughly cleaned and disinfected in between.
Regarding athletics, a plan was unanimously approved that separates sports into three areas – low risk (golf), moderate risk (soccer) and high risk (football) – and two phases. During phase one, which ran Aug. 3-7, low-risk sports participated in regular practice, moderate-risk sports had modified practice and high-risk sports only did conditioning. Phase two, Aug. 10-21, involves low- and moderate-risk sports practicing, and high-risk sports having non-contact practice. The board will decide on Aug. 20 whether or not to move beyond the second phase. No contests will be held prior to Aug. 21, and the football scrimmage scheduled for Aug. 22 is canceled. The golf and tennis matches set for the week of Aug. 24 are still on.
The board said it will continue to monitor guidance from the state and local departments of health throughout the rest of the summer and into September. A hybrid option will be offered only if COVID-19 cases start to drop again. Members will work with Gretzula and focus groups, which include teachers, to flesh out issues with the hybrid model so that it’s ready to go when the time eventually comes.
Visit pennsburysd.org for updates.
Samantha Bambino can be reached at sbambino@newspapermediagroup.com
