Pennsbury Approves Bringing Students Back Under Hybrid Plan

The Pennsbury School Board has approved a plan to return students to the classroom.

The school board voted Wednesday night during a long meeting to approve most of the plan submitted by the administration after a backlash from members of the community.

Under the district’s original plan, students would not return to classrooms until February 2021.

The hybrid plan developed by the district administration will return pre-K through second grade students and students in specialized learning classrooms starting November 12. Grades three to five and six to eight would return under the hybrid model on December 7.

All high school grades would return to in-person classes by February 4, but the school board said they would look at bringing them back sooner.

High schoolers will be able to take in-person assessments in January.

Several school board members called for bringing high schools back on December 7 during the meeting.

The hybrid plan approved will split students up into A and B groups and have the first group in school on Mondays and Tuesdays and the second group on Wednesdays and Thursdays. All students would take classes virtually on Fridays.

The biggest change from last week’s proposal was that all the grades at the middle schools will return at once instead of sixth graders coming in sooner than the other grades.

Superintendent Dr. William Gretzula noted that the timeline gives staff and students enough time to prepare to welcome kids back to classrooms.

Students would still be able to take all-virtual classes if they wished when their peers return to classrooms.

While in classrooms and on district transportation, students would have wear masks and take part in physical distancing. Increased cleaning and other mitigation measures will be in place.

District officials said if students do not wish to wear a mask for non-medical reasons, the district can require that student take part in virtual learning.

Gretzula said 66 staff members have reached out to talk to district human resources about taking leave options due to COVID-19.

The district has brought in additional technology for teachers to accommodate students learning virtually.

The special education department has been working to make accommodates to best serve students with special needs both in person and virtually, according to Gretzula.

To prepare for students returning to classrooms, the district is bringing back paraprofessionals who were furloughed.

School Board President T.R. Kannan said the board has heard the comments from the public. He urged people have a backup plan in case closures are needed once the hybrid model begins.

The lengthy public comment sections of the meeting featured parents on all sides of the issue.

“I hate virtual school. It’s so hard and I just wanted to kill myself,” said one mother, relaying what her son says to her at the end of each day.

Vicki Behrman, of Falls Township, asked the school board to open the schools as virtual learning is not working for her family.

Tim Daly, who represented the Reopen Pennsbury group that hosted a protest outside school district building last month, called for a more clear path to resuming in-person classes. He also pointed to a petition online calling for Gretzula to resign and accused him of problems that are “paralyzing the district.”

Michelle Wexler, of Lower Makefield, said she theoretically wants her kids to return to the classroom, but questions remain and there should be a discussion about learning models with teachers taking part.

One parent wrote to the school board that the hybrid model would benefit students and help avoid “Zoom fatigue.”

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