School districts mull options as Westmoreland coronavirus rates inch down

State data show Westmoreland County’s coronavirus transmission risk dropped a bit, which means school districts once again may face difficult decisions about how to educate students in the weeks and months to come.

The county’s latest reported seven-day coronavirus incidence rate was 99.8. That means about 0.998% of county residents contracted the virus in the period between Oct. 30 and Nov. 5. It’s barely below the threshold of 100 that separates a “moderate” risk from a “substantial” one, according to the state’s Covid-19 Early Warning Monitoring System. The county has been at the “substantial” risk level since Oct. 16.

The state Department of Education recommends schools adopt fully remote learning during periods of substantial transmission risk. However, the final decision is up to local authorities.

Most school districts in the county decided not to make the switch, continuing with hybrid or in-person education models despite the increased risk. However, some did close and move to remote learning models. As the incidence rate ticks down, they are considering when to open their doors.

“When we went to full remote, we said that would be through Friday the 13th, and we would continue to monitor our local cases,” said Georgia Teppert, superintendent of Greater Latrobe School District.

Greater Latrobe started full-time remote instruction Nov. 4. The school board will meet Tuesday to discuss whether to reopen next week. The lower transmission rate is a good sign, Teppert said.

The Department of Education recommends districts wait until their county has been in a lower incidence rate for two consecutive weeks before reopening, to ensure the drop in cases is an actual downward trend, rather than just a statistical blip.

Officials from the Department of Health and the Department of Education contacted Westmoreland County school districts to discuss the recent incidence rate drop, Teppert said.

The department suggests districts use a hybrid model during times of moderate risk, in which students spend some time in the classroom and some learning from home.

New Kensington-Arnold School District closed last week but reopened for full-time in-person education Monday, according to Superintendent Jon Banko.

The district offers fully remote learning for those who want it. About 35% of district students have taken this option, which helps reduce crowding in schools, Banko said. The district’s coronavirus case count is lower than that of the county as a whole, and Banko believes schools can open safely.

“As long as we can accommodate the kids and families, we’re going to remain open five days a week,” he said. “I think everyone is really keeping a close eye on it.”