‘At a tipping point.’ State College schools to shift to 2 weeks of remote learning after break
State College students will get a break from learning for Thanksgiving next week, but when classes resume, they’ll be learning remotely.
State College Area School District Superintendent Bob O’Donnell announced a two-week closure, following the scheduled holiday break, in a letter to families Thursday. Facilities will be open for in-person learning Monday and Tuesday, with Thanksgiving break the rest of the week.
Beginning Nov. 30, the district will operate remotely until Dec. 14.
“For weeks, we have been struggling with staffing due to absences related to COVID-19 in addition to usual illnesses. Because of that, we’ve had to combine several classes at secondary schools and move them into alternative spaces,” O’Donnell wrote. “At the elementary level, we have been shifting faculty, staff and substitute teachers among classrooms and buildings.”
Staffing shortages have affected district operations, including food and transportation services, and O’Donnell said SCASD is “now at a tipping point.”
Forty-three COVID-19 cases have been reported in the district since its reopening in August, and O’Donnell said the health and safety team is predicting the overall situation will “only become worse” over the break with expected holiday gatherings.
“This is why we are closing until Dec. 14. Hopefully, this period will give us time to restore our staffing levels, providing a pathway back into schools,” he wrote.
Details regarding food services, instructional support and special education services will be announced in the coming weeks. The district also plans to announced support centers for K-6 children of health care workers.
“I realize this decision will cause hardships for many of our families. Please know, a great deal of care and thought goes into these types of decisions, and they’re always challenging,” O’Donnell said. “For nine months now, this virus has taken its toll on our community, and I can only hope that we will be back in schools as soon as possible.”
This story was originally published November 19, 2020 at 4:59 PM.
