It looks likely that the Neshaminy School District could return elementary students to classrooms four days a week starting at the end of the month.
At their Tuesday evening meeting, the school board voted to approve the plan that would bring kindergarten to fourth grade students into classrooms starting November 30 Mondays through Thursdays. Virtual learning will continue on Fridays.
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The approval of the “all-in” model will end the hybrid option for those students, but parents can opt for online learning for their students.
While the plan was approved, the school board is able to reevaluate the plan at their November 24 public meeting. The motion approved Tuesday by the school board noted that it is “subject to any changes necessary due to conditions and additional guidance from the applicable government agencies in the coming weeks.”
The vote came as the county and state were seeing massive upticks in COVID-19 cases.
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The school board will decide at a later date when older students can take part in an all-in model.
Last month, administration officials said elementary students will be the first to return because the classrooms allow more room to physical distant.
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The district began their hybrid model that had students in classrooms two days per week in early October.
While there have been COVID-19 cases among a small number of Neshaminy students and staff, Superintendent Dr. Rob McGee noted that those cases have not led to spread throughout schools.
The current all-in model is only four days per week due to staffing levels for aids. McGee has said if more support staff positions are filled, the district could return to five days a week.
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School board members said they thought it was important to return to students to classroom and urged families to follow COVID-19 safety measures.
Board member David Marrington said that the holidays will be a “big test” for the plan.
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Board President Steve Pirritano said keeping schools open and kids and staff healthy will require the work of all families. He noted that high schoolers also need to be cautious.
“We want to move to everybody to come back in, but it’s going to require sacrifice, especially from our upperclassmen that may think at this stage in their life that they know better. They really need to listen to the professionals and mom and dad,” he said.
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