Pennsbury Recommending Virtual Learning Into 2021 To School Board

The Pennsbury School District plans to recommend a number of major changes to the reopening plan at the school board meeting later this month.

The district’s previously-approved plan starts the school year with virtual learning with a chance to return to classrooms under a hybrid model in early October. More than 3,000 students with special needs would be able to return in-person when classes begin on Tuesday, September 8.

School Board President TR Kannan and Superintendent Dr. William Gretzula wrote in a statement made public Wednesday morning that the changes were being recommended to the plan amid “mounting concerns around issues of health and safety, and thorough review of practical constraints around staffing, continuing uncertainty, and an analysis of multiple staff and community survey results.”

Below is the recommendations from the district that will be discussed at the Thursday, August 20 school board meeting:

1. Do not open our buildings on September 8th, for our specialized learners, and instead meet their needs using specially designed instruction in their home environment, both virtually and in-person (when determined necessary by an individual child’s team of professionals). This is supported by more than 150 teachers and nearly 140 paraprofessionals who indicated in staff surveys that they would be comfortable with going to students’ homes in those rare instances.

2. Postpone the hybrid option until the end of the 2nd Marking Period, which currently ends on Friday, January 29, 2021, for all students and focus all resources and efforts only on providing a robust virtual learning environment.

3. Meet all students’ needs through a robust virtual learning model that is synchronous, structured, and delivered by Pennsbury teachers using Pennsbury curricula. Ensure this model is not the same learning experience that had to be delivered in an emergency fashion in the spring and is similar to an in-person model with accountability for both students and staff.

Focusing on a single model for all students removes the risk and complications involved with matching 10,000 students with approximately 850 professional and 650 support personnel staff members across two learning platforms. Also, due to personal and household health concerns of our employees, it has become obvious that numerous positions would need to be filled to offer any kind of in-person learning.

“We understand and appreciate the challenges this creates for working families, concerns around mental health, lack of social interaction, and ability for students to learn online. We will continue to look at innovative options to address these issues,” Kannan and Gretzula wrote.

The district said they will keep watching COVID-19 conditions as they plan to return staff and students to the classroom.

The statement said the district has focused on prioritizing health and safety of staff, students, and the community.

“We look forward to a time when we can look back together with Pennsbury Pride and be grateful for our continuing collaboration and ongoing achievements,” Kannan and Gretzula said.

The Bristol Borough and Bristol Township school district have already voted to begin the school year virtually. The Neshaminy School District will vote on how they will start Wednesday evening, but the administration recommended a virtual start.

Correction: A previous version of this story said Neshaminy will vote on reopening next week. In fact, the school board will hold a special meeting Wednesday evening. 

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