Woodland Hills prepares for students to return in hybrid model next week
Many Woodland Hills School District Students will return to the classroom next week for the first time this academic year.
“It’s exciting, like the first day of school,” Superintendent James Harris said.
The district is welcoming students back in a hybrid format beginning Monday. Half of the students will be attending class in person Monday and Tuesday, with the other half coming to class Thursday and Friday. Students will engage in synchronous online learning the remaining three days of the week.
About 20% of students have opted to remain entirely online, Harris said.
For the students who are returning to the classroom, Harris said, they’ll find all the standard coronavirus mitigation measures in place.
Desks are spaced between three and six feet apart, Harris said. Masks are required, and teachers will have plastic shields in front of their desks. Hand sanitizing stations are set up in each building.
“We have the cute little stickers on the floor to help manage social distancing,” Harris said. “We have staggered class transitions to cut down on the number of students in the hall.”
The district hired more custodians for frequent cleaning and sanitizing in every building, Harris said. Wednesdays — when all students are learning remotely — will be used for deep cleaning.
Harris said they also hired more substitute teachers.
“We’ve taken a lot of care for making sure the buildings are clean, the teachers are prepared,” Harris said. “Anything parents are concerned over, hopefully we’ve covered it. No shortcuts were taken. We’re just happy to get back to school.”
That excitement, Harris said, extends to students, particularly seniors, who are excited to be back in class with their friends.
Teachers are also eager to get back to the classroom, Harris said, noting that they’re prepared to work with students both in-person and online.
“Teachers are very excited about seeing their students,” he said.
The average class size will be between eight and 12 students, Harris said.
Julia Felton is a TribLive reporter covering Pittsburgh City Hall and other news in and around Pittsburgh. A La Roche University graduate, she joined the Trib in 2020. She can be reached at jfelton@triblive.com.
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