Hempfield middle school students hoping to return to in-person classes full time beginning early next year will now have to wait a few more weeks as covid-19 cases continue to spike.

Superintendent Tammy Wolicki recommended that students return to in-person classes five days a week beginning Jan. 19 rather than Jan. 4 due to increased coronavirus cases that continue to set records in Westmoreland and Allegheny counties. Students are currently attending classes through a hybrid model.

“We’re thinking that would provide families a more natural break and also gives us those few weeks right after the holidays that if there is a spread we’re able to address that before we’re starting to bring even more students into our middle schools,” Wolicki said during Monday’s school board meeting.

Westmoreland County saw an additional 183 new covid-19 cases Wednesday, bringing total cases to 9,643, according to state Department of Health data. The county also saw a record 15 covid-related deaths, bringing total deaths related to covid-19 to 219.

School leaders started discussing the possibility of bringing students back full time last month. Surveys sent to parents at the start of the month gave them two options — send their children back to school daily or commit to online learning for the period between Dec. 1 and Jan. 18.

A week later the surveys were tweaked to include the third option of the hybrid model, or a mix of online and in-person learning. Officials at the time also tweaked commitment dates to Jan. 4 and March 25, giving them additional time to ensure necessary precautions were taken prior to students making a full return to the classroom.

When students do return to school daily, they will be put on an A/B schedule. That means the 80-minute instructional blocks will be split for students to rotate between face-to-face time with their teachers and spending time in an overflow space where they will attend classes virtually.

For example, on A days, students who are on the B schedule will begin their day in the overflow space where they will watch the teacher online. Halfway through the class, the students will switch. This method will be used for core classes, including English language arts, math, science and social studies.

Matthew Conner, assistant superintendent for secondary education, said officials are working on where those overflow spaces will be, including in the auditorium or in the gymnasium.

About 1,100 people have responded to the surveys so far, he said, noting that so far people are looking to continue with the model their children are currently enrolled in.

“At this point we’re in good shape and we feel we have the time and necessary information to move forward in planning what it looks like,” he said.

Wolicki noted that officials have not yet considered bringing students at the high school level back full time. Students are currently attending classes through the hybrid model.

“That’s something we would want the opportunity to survey in order to learn how many would take advantage of that before we start to work on all the structural needs that’s going to require and supervision,” she said.

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