Highlands surveying parents about in-person half-days for kindergarten students
The Highlands School District has narrowed a proposal to bring elementary students back into schools to only kindergarten, district spokeswoman Jennifer Goldberg said.
The district is conducting a survey of parents of kindergarten students asking if they are in favor of having their children attend half-days, four-days-a-week.
The district wants those parents to complete the survey by Friday, Jan. 29.
The survey asks parents who oppose to say why, and whether those in favor can provide transportation.
At the Jan. 11 school board meeting, Superintendent Monique Mawhinney said the district’s covid task force voted for her to investigate having students in pre-kindergarten through fourth grade return to half-days either four or five days a week.
It was based on state health and education officials encouraging districts to return elementary students to classrooms, at least partially.
On Friday, Goldberg said Highlands is pursuing the option for kindergarten only.
“We believe that our youngest students would benefit from a more consistent in-person instructional model,” Catherine Russo, interim principal of the Early Childhood Center, said in a letter to kindergarten families.
Half-days would allow the district to limit the number of students in each class so social distancing could be maintained, according to Russo’s letter.
The proposal is to have one group of kindergarten students attend school in person from 8:50 a.m. to noon and another attend from 12:30 p.m. to 3:40 p.m.
While in school, students would have math and English with their teacher each day. They would also have a daily special class, such as art, physical education or library.
The other half of the day, students would do assignments on their own in social studies, science and additional practice in reading and math, Russo’s letter states.
Students with individualized education programs, or IEPs, already attending four days would continue with their current schedule.
Highlands resumed its hybrid schedule this week after having moved all students to remote instruction Dec. 1.
Brian C. Rittmeyer, a Pittsburgh native and graduate of Penn State University's Schreyer Honors College, has been with the Trib since December 2000. He can be reached at brittmeyer@triblive.com.
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