Chartiers Valley to continue remote learning through Jan. 11

Chartiers Valley School District will continue remote learning this week, with students returning to the classrooms Jan. 11.

Superintendent Johannah Vanatta alerted families through a pre-holiday letter that the district hoped to capitalize on extended remote learning to mitigate the spread of covid-19.

“The district found it quite beneficial to take advantage of the Thanksgiving break and utilize remote learning the week following the holiday,” Vanatta wrote.

In turn, the district is following the same precautionary measures following winter break, which ends today.

On Dec. 20, the last day the district’s covid-19 dashboard was updated, there were three student cases of the virus reported and one staff case.

In total, the district has seen 91 cases of covid-19; 62 in students and 29 in staff.

The district had switched among educational models in November and December after four people in mid-December were confirmed to be infected at the middle school, prompting the building to close and move students to remote learning while contact tracing occurred.

Students also learned from home for a few days in November after the district reported four confirmed covid-19 cases just prior to the Thanksgiving break.

Vanatta said families should pay attention to the weather and related educational changes since this year, schools will operate in remote learning mode rather than have snow days.

“If we experience winter weather which would have traditionally caused a school closure, the district will now shift to remote learning and the school day will continue online via Google Classroom and Schoology,” Vanatta said.

On these days, teachers will work from home.