Pine-Richland delaying start of school year

The Pine-Richland School District is delaying the start of classes by five days to give staff more time collect the textbooks and technology students used last year and distribute new materials for the upcoming school year.

The district initially planned for the first day of school to begin on Wednesday, Aug. 26.

The first day will now be on Tuesday, Sept. 1 for students with last names beginning with “A” through “K.” Students with last names beginning with “L” through “Z” will begin classes on Sept. 2.

The district is splitting the student body so that only half will be in the building at a time to help slow the spread of coronavirus.

The district is offering families a return-to-school plan that gives students a choice of attending classes in person the entire week in some buildings, online only or a mix of the two methods.

The change in the start date if for all students.

“The extra time we’ll have by delaying the start date will give teachers and staff a chance to become familiar with the changes made in the classrooms and to better prepare for the students to return,” said Rachel Hathhorne, a spokeswoman for the district.

Notations of “AK” and “LZ” also have been added to the district’s calendar through September to help families keep track of days students are supposed to attend in-person classes.

In addition to its planning for how students will attend school, the district has developed procedures and policies for social distancing, face coverings, sharing equipment in labs and other classes, bus transportation, use of the cafeteria, athletics and other school-related activities.

Those procedures are contained in the district’s health and safety plan along with other documents and presentations available on the district’s website.

To make sure students have the material and equipment they need, the district started collecting last year’s textbooks and technology devices this week.

New devices are scehduled to be distributed the week of Aug. 17 and new textbooks and other materials are slated to go out during the week of Aug. 24.