Plum School District officials plan to welcome all students back to school for full-time, in-person instruction for the coming school year.

The announcement was recently made via letter to parents as well as posted on the district’s website.

The first day of the 2021-22 school year is Thursday, Aug. 19.

Superintendent Brendan Hyland said the district will still provide an option for families not quite ready for their young learners to leave home.

“Because conditions have improved, we have made modifications to our remote learning options for students for the upcoming year,” Hyland wrote. “Those students who are still uncomfortable physically returning to school and wish to attend school remotely will have the opportunity to participate in an asynchronous learning environment through our Plum Digital Learning Academy.”

The district does not plan to offer its PlumFLEX program — livestreaming of classes — except in circumstances where a student must be quarantined or “in the event the option becomes necessary for a specified building and/or a district-wide circumstance.”

Officials will continue to monitor state guidelines regarding the return of students and inform families as updates come in.

A back-to-school letter is in the works for the first week of August.

“Our overarching goal would be to get to a pre-pandemic mode of operation as quickly and aggressively as is permitted,” Hyland wrote. “We are excited for the 2021-2022 school year and look forward to greeting our students for what promises to be a wonderful school year.”

School Director Joe Tommarello said the administration and staff have the full support of the board when it comes to their back-t0-school plans.

“My goal and hope for our students are to start the 2021-22 school year like any regular school year,” Tommarello said. “No masks for vaccinated kids and teachers, back full time, 100% capacity, and give our students and staff a sense of normalcy for the first time in almost two years.

“We will still provide the PDLA (Plum Digital Learning Academy) for those students and families who still wish to do online learning, who may not be ready to return quite yet.

“My wish is for a normal school year with as many fun-filled activities as possible, that our students need in their lives. Such as full-time and unhindered sports, the homecoming dance, the prom, Plum’s Make-a-Wish Telethon, and so much more that our students had missed out on these past two years school years.”

There are no school board meetings scheduled for July.

More information about school district activities is available at pbsd.net.

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