Students at Freeport Area School District won’t return to in-person instruction until at least Monday, Jan. 11, the school board said Thursday.

The district had previously decided to limit the amount of time students spent in the classroom around the holidays after a surge of covid-19 cases left more than 100 students quarantined in November.

Updated guidance from the Pennsylvania Department of Education and Department of Health recommends schools in counties with substantial covid-19 transmission — including Armstrong and Butler counties — should close for three to seven days if between two and four students or staffers in the same building contract covid-19 over a two-week period. That extends to 14 days if there are five or more cases.

Superintendent Ian Magness said the new guidelines give school officials “very limited scope and choice in moving forward in a substantial transmission setting.”

He noted that school buildings within the district may be forced to close on short notice, making for ever-changing schedules. Therefore, he said, fully online learning would provide more consistency and allow families to plan accordingly.

The school board did, however, indicate on their attestation form — a form in which the state requires school districts to either move to entirely online learning or pledge to abide by the state’s covid-19 guidelines — that they may permit some students to partake in in-person instruction.

This would allow students with special needs the opportunity to continue in-person learning. The school board specified that administration would be permitted “to bring in a special-needs population as deemed necessary.”

“Our focus would be our students in our life skills support and autistic support classrooms,” Magness said.

Keeping the majority of the students fully remote would increase the odds that life skills classes and athletics could continue. If all students were in the classroom and cases spiked, schools could be forced to close — canceling athletic programs and in-person classes for life skills and autistic skills students.

“If we select to go remote for those two weeks, that could potentially let us continue to bring our special needs students in and also continue with our sports athletics programs,” School Director Gregory Selinger said.

Magness noted that the decision was not, however, made “based on still being able to run athletics or being able to run certain classrooms,” though those factors were discussed.

Board members also noted that their options were very limited, given the state guidelines.

“The state and the Department of Health are almost trying to mandate how we run our schools, and I think it’s really up to us as the elected officials,” said Frank Prazenica, the school board’s vice president. “I do not like them taking away my elected power from the constituents of our community.”

Though students won’t be in the classroom until next month, winter athletics are slated to start on Dec. 7, beginning with varsity and junior varsity teams. Student-athletes will have to abide by guidance from the Department of Health, including an updated mask mandate that will require athletes to wear masks while playing. Updated capacity restrictions will limit attendance at games.

Varsity and junior varsity teams will be split into smaller groups to practice, Magness said.

If those practices go well — with no covid-19 cases or other disruptions — junior high teams could begin practicing the following week, Magness said.

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