County covid surge prompts Shaler to switch to remote learning for 3 weeks

The Shaler Area School District is switching to all-virtual instruction for three weeks because of the increase in the community transmission rate of covid-19.

The change takes effect on Nov. 23. Students are scheduled to return to a blend of online and in-person instruction on Dec. 14. Schools are closed Nov. 26 to 30 for the Thanksgiving holiday.

“Over the past several days, the district has met with county and state (health and education) officials to fully understand and determine the most appropriate response given the increased number of positive cases occurring in our community and county,” school Superintendent Sean Aiken said in a letter to parents.

The state health department has moved Allegheny County into the “substantial risk category,” which means there have been more than 100 new cases per 100,000 residents during a seven-day period.

Aiken said data indicates that it is “very likely” the county will remain in the substantial risk category for a second week.

State education officials recommend schools go all-remote if a county is substantially at risk for covid spread for two consecutive weeks.

On Wednesday, Allegheny County Health Department Director Dr. Debra Bogen issued a countywide stay-at-home advisory with the warning that a full-blown public health order could come next if case counts continue to increase.

Allegheny County set a record for new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, according to health department officials.

There were 620 new covid-19 cases, bringing the county’s total to 21,434. The new cases put the daily positivity rate at 18.09% and the overall rate at 7.31%.

The county’s previous high was set on Sunday with 527 new cases.

The district’s plan calls for students in “Cohort A” to return to in-person instruction on Dec. 14. Students is “Cohort B” return on Dec. 17.

Students in mid-October began a hybrid model, with two days of in-school learning, after starting the year entirely online. ‘