Shaler Area students heading back to class; orientations scheduled
Shaler Area students will return to class Monday after beginning the first five weeks of school online.
Students who chose in-person learning will transition to hybrid instruction, with Cohort A beginning Monday and Cohort B having its first day of in-person instruction Oct. 15.
Shaler Area School Board voted in August to start the school year with a 100% virtual learning plan, saying the added at-home time would provide staff with more time for professional development, technology distribution and training for students.
In the hybrid model, students will be split into three groups.
Cohort A will receive face-to-face instruction Monday and Tuesday and will learn online the remainder of the week; Cohort B will go to school on Thursday and Friday, with remote learning the other days; Cohort C will remain 100 percent virtual and will not report to the buildings at all.
There are videos on the district website to illustrate what specific operations will look like at each location.
Communications Specialist Bethany Baker said the district anticipates that unexpected issues might arise.
“This is new for all of us, and there will be a learning curve for our teachers and students,” a district statement said. “We ask for your continued patience and support as we refine and improve our model to provide the best educational experience for our students.”
Superintendent Sean Aiken said safety is the district’s top priority as students transition back to the buildings.
Masks are required, and families are asked to perform daily symptoms screenings before sending students to school.
Baker said masks can be removed during lunch or when students are at least 6 feet apart during face-covering breaks that will be 10 minutes or less.
Families are being asked to have an emergency plan in place in the event of a prolonged quarantine.
Required orientations will be hosted Thursday and Friday for students in kindergarten, 4th, 7th and 9th grade for those who are opting to return to in-person instruction.
Students whose last names begin with A-K will attend a session on Thursday; students with last names from L-Z will attend on Friday.
Kindergarten sessions will be held both days.
The schedule of times is available on the district’s website.
Tawnya Panizzi is a TribLive reporter. She joined the Trib in 1997. She can be reached at tpanizzi@triblive.com.
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