Pennsbury Extends Virtual Learning Into 2021

Pennsbury School District students will learn entirely virtually through the end of January 2021.

At a roughly three-hour-long virtual meeting Thursday evening, the school board approved extending the planned virtual learning period to January 29 of next year. After that date, the district could resume some sort of hybrid in-person learning.

The previously-approved plan had the opportunity to return students to the classroom under a hybrid model starting as early as October if conditions were right.

“The recommendation this evening is a hardship on many families – and we recognize that,” Superintendent Dr. William Gretzula said.

The district is working on plans to make sure students can get meals on school days and “options are being formed” outside of the district for childcare for working parents, Gretzula said.

Previously, the school board approved having special education students being able to return to classrooms starting September 8 if their parents wanted them to. Gretzula said Thursday that the plan was made with the “best of intentions,” but it won’t be happening.

The superintendent told the public and school board that the recommendation to delay chances of students returning to classroom to the new year came after administration looked at the situation with COVID-19 and resuming some normalcy.

Gretzula said surrounding counties had “stalled reduction in cases,” that there were ongoing cases of the virus in Bucks County,” and cited advice from doctors who said crowded classrooms are more likely to create conditions to spread the virus. He also said there were scheduling concerns for students and staff in the fall.

Gretzula noted that flu season starts in the fall and there is presently no vaccine for COVID-19, which has killed 518 Bucks Countians – although most were elderly or had underlying conditions – since the pandemic began impacting the area in March.

“We’re fooling ourselves if we don’t think we’re going to have a case and it’s going to case a significant disruption,” Gretzula said, speaking of if the district opened for in-person instruction in fall.

Attendance of students will be taken daily by teachers, according to the virtual learning plan.

Teachers will be able to work from home or teach virtually from their classrooms, School Board President TR Kannan said.

Students in grades six through 12 will be able to take part by using district-issued Chromebooks. First through fifth graders can get a Chromebook to start the year, and the district is asking parents with devices with Google Chrome to skip picking up a district-owned device and use their own.

Kindergarten students will be able to take part in virtual instruction and will get activity packs from teachers. Educators are still working to create a virtual curriculum for kindergarteners, the district said.

The district will be scheduling material pickup times for students and parents in the coming weeks.

Gretzula said teachers will hold office hours, students can seek assistance if they need help, students can establish individual or small group sessions with teachers, counselors and administrators will be available for students, and all student assistance programs will continue virtually.

Pennsbury administrators said the district has purchased new equipment to provide hands-on learning and digital experiences for students.

Nearly all the district’s teachers have already taken part in four-day virtual trainings, said Supervisor of Educational Technology Brad McCormick.

There were a number of comments from the public. The comments varied from those appreciating the district’s efforts and those opposed to going virtual for so long.

On Monday, a group of about 40 parents and students stood outside Pennsbury High School in Falls Township to protest delaying the start of in-person classes until next year.

The district said they plan continue to provide transportation for out-of-district placements, charter schools, and for non-public-school students while Pennsbury is in virtual learning.

School board member Christian Schwartz said the vote on the plan to extend virtual learning provides stability for the start of the school year. He added it also gives the district more time to get a hybrid plan in place.

Kannan said he understands the plan may make people angry, but he urged people to work together come up with solutions.

The school board also voted to furlough up to 200 employees.

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