Deer Lakes considers possible return to full-time, in-person instruction

Deer Lakes School Board is expected to consider a possible return to full-time, in-person instruction when it meets Tuesday.

Last week, the district temporarily closed East Union Intermediate Center and Deer Lakes Middle School after multiple people tested positive for covid-19 at the respective schools.

At a meeting last Tuesday, Superintendent Dr. Janell Logue-Belden addressed common questions and concerns about returning to full-time, in-person instruction — or not doing so — she has heard from parents during the pandemic.

Currently, 170 district students are attending school in person four days a week, with Friday serving as a remote learning day, according to Logue-Belden’s report. More than 1,200 are learning through a hybrid model with a mix of in-person and remote instruction, while more than 400 students are receiving remote instruction only, the report said.

Logue-Belden said if all students returned to full-time, in-person instruction, the district would be able to ensure adequate social distancing only during lunch, but it would be a challenge in classrooms.

“If we go back to five days in-person, then we are not able to provide the recommended 6 feet of social distancing,” Logue-Belden said.

Logue-Belden said some parents have inquired about signing a waiver so their children could attend school in person full-time, so the district wouldn’t be held liable in the event a child whose family had signed a waiver got sick.

Deer Lakes solicitor Raymond Sekula said Pennsylvania courts have not ruled on such waivers. Sekula said he did not think such waivers would be considered legally enforceable.

Logue-Belden expressed the need for students to be back in school full-time, but said she wants to keep students safe.

Board members said they felt returning to school five days a week would be better for the students academically and socially. Chairwoman Kristi Minnick proposed putting a motion on Tuesday’s agenda to add the option of going back to full-time, in-person instruction.

The district should have results at Tuesday’s meeting from a survey offered last week asking parents if they preferred a five-day, in-person instructional plan. The deadline for the survey, which parents could fill out on their Skyward account, was 6 p.m. Sunday.