Penn Hills School District has a new plan to bring students back 4 days a week

Penn Hills School District officials have a new plan to bring students back into the district’s schools four days a week.

Superintendent Nancy Hines said they hope to welcome first grade, middle-schoolers, juniors and seniors back Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays starting Feb. 16.

All students would learn online Wednesdays so staff could thoroughly clean the buildings.

The remaining grades would return March 1.

“We want to give that opportunity, but it’s going to come down to the family,” Hines said noting a full-time online option still would be available. “This is all contingent on local conditions. … Some kids are really embracing the remote (learning). For some kids and some families, it’s just not enough.”

The district’s previous plan to offer four-day, in-person learning was scrapped in November because of a spike in covid cases.

The board had authorized kindergarten students to come back to the elementary school starting that month, with the goal of extending that option to grades 1, 6, 7, 8, 11 and 12 on Dec. 1 and the remaining students in January.

Instead, the district remained in its hybrid model with students split into groups with each attending classes two days a week. Kindergartners and special-education students can come to class four days a week.

The board is expected to vote on the new plan Jan. 27.

Trafford-based Mobile Health Services continues to do daily screenings of students and parents coming into the buildings.

School board president Erin Vecchio is cautiously optimistic about having more in-person instruction available.

“That’s the only way these kids are going to get an education,” Vecchio said. “We need to bring these kids back, but we need to do it safely. We may have to scrap it again if the numbers go up. They’re not learning at home, and the numbers show it.”

District officials shut down the elementary school for a week this month because of four confirmed covid cases, including three teachers.

Hines said students went all virtual at the recommendation of the Allegheny County Health Department. The young learners were expected to return to the hybrid model Jan. 18.

Penn Hills has had 101 confirmed cases since March 13, including several cyber students who have not been in district buildings but are counted because they are part of the district.

Renel Williams, director of teaching, learning and assessment, said teachers have become more comfortable using equipment and teaching in the hybrid model. The progress, however, has not been without its challenges.

“We had a complete overhaul of our learning system,” Williams said. “Every piece of our educational system was realigned and touched this summer. I’ve had a teacher come and meet with me recently. They said, ‘I have 56% of my kids not logging in. Can you help me?’

“Everybody’s doing their due diligence. We’re aware, and we’re doing what we can to get our kids on.”

Board member Rob Marra said the struggles with online learning show how important it is to get children back in school.

“You can help a student much more when you see them all the time,” Marra said.