Penn Hills School District considering moving kindergarten students from 2 to 4 days in school

Penn Hills School District officials want to hear from kindergarten parents about sending their little learners to school four days a week.

The district began the 2020-21 school year Sept. 8 in a hybrid model due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Students at the elementary, middle and high school were placed into two groups. One group has in-person classes Monday and Tuesday while the second goes to school Thursday and Friday. All students are online Wednesdays.

About a month into the first semester, administrators are looking for ways to have students in buildings more often starting with the youngest.

“They’re the ones that really need a great deal of support in the classroom,” Superintendent Nancy Hines said Monday. “It’s really important we don’t move too many students too quickly.”

Elementary Principal Kristin Brown is expected to send parents a survey within the next few days to gauge their interest in the change. Online learning still would be an option.

The district’s pandemic review committee will meet to discuss the potential move, as well educational options for other grades, on Oct. 14.

The board plans to vote on the issue Oct. 28.

Hines said the overall goal is to bring all students back full-time in mid-January provided covid cases remain stagnant and it is safe to do so.

Board President Erin Vecchio commended the administration for reaching out to parents and trying to have more in-person education.

She would like to see kindergarten through fifth grade students come back soon, and later add sixth- through 12th-graders.

“I think all elementary (students) should be back because they’re not at high risk for the covid, and that they need to be in school. They need to be learning right now. The other ones are more capable of learning online. Everybody’s having a hard time with (online learning), but K-5 are really struggling with the online stuff.”

Vecchio said the district is following all state health department guidelines and always puts student safety first.

“We all got to look at the numbers,” Vecchio said.

Hines said the district has only had two coronavirus cases since March.

She could not confirm if students or staff were the ones infected, only that the confirmed cases involved two people affiliated with the district.

“I firmly believe our district’s conservative approach, while not always understood and/or supported in the moment, has been helping us to manage a safe learning environment for our students and a safe work environment for our staff,” Hines posted on the district’s website. “I wish everyone continued good health.”