Pittsburgh Public Schools move forward with in-person learning in November

Pittsburgh Public Schools are poised to begin a hybrid form of in-person learning on Nov. 9.

The district is making the move despite a fall rise in covid-19 cases in Pennsylvania that was expected. The surge in cases, at least in Allegheny County, doesn’t mean the district should not move forward with its plans to reopen using the hybrid model, district physician Dr. Martin Gregorio told board members Wednesday.

Pittsburgh Public is following its state-mandated plan for how it will educate students during the covid-19 pandemic and it is now prepared for students and staff to return to buildings, Superintendent Anthony Hamlet said.

During Wednesday’s board meeting, administrators spent more than two hours going over the plan with board members. The virtual meeting, and the technical glitches that happened during the meeting, provided a concrete example of the struggles people face with remote learning.

The superintendent’s initial comments to the board were garbled because of connection problems and he had to reiterate how the district has worked on its reopening plans.

The reopening is important to ensure the district’s 25,000 students do not suffer from what he termed “learning loss” because of virtual learning.

“There isn’t a school district in this country that has a perfect scenario for dealing with the pandemic,” Hamlet told the board. “I want to instill in you that when challenges come our way, we can and will successfully overcome them.”

Board members decided in July to delay in-person instruction through the first quarter of the school year.

“Educators are not public health officials, nor should we be in the position to make this decision,” board member Kevin Carter said then. “Nonetheless, we have a responsibility to ensure the safety of all of our students and staff.”

On Thursday, Carter said his opinions hadn’t changed.

“I’m still cautious about covid-19, I still prefer being fully remote,” Carter said.

He wasn’t able to stay for all of the virtual meeting Wednesday, and said school districts are being forced to choose between making two “very bad decisions” for students.

Carter prefers prioritizing the health of students while sacrificing any learning deficiencies they may have because of virtual learning, he said.

“This is a very conflicting subject matter. We are all trying to work through it with the best possible information,” Carter said.

Pittsburgh Public Schools’ plan was crafted with guidance from the Allegheny County Health Department and includes social distancing procedures and protocols for students and staff who develop covid-19 symptoms or who are exposed to someone who tests positive, Gregorio said.

Among the precautions that are being taken:

• Everyone over the age of 2 will be required to wear a mask on buses and in school. Accommodations will be made for those who have a condition that prevents this.
• Students will be divided into groups, one of which will attend classes on Mondays and Tuesdays and the other that will attend on Thursdays and Fridays. All students will use remote learning on Wednesdays. Most students will remain in a single classroom and teachers will be rotated among classrooms.
• Full-time remote instruction will also be offered for those who prefer to continue that system.
• Bubblers on water fountains will be off, but bottles will be permitted to be filled.

When a covid-19 is reported, the district will:

• Notify staff, students and families that may have been exposed.
• Buses and other vehicles that the infected person was in will be taken off the road and deep cleaned.
• Buildings or sections of schools will be closed if there is an outbreak.

About 25% of the district’s families — 6,000 students — have chosen to continue full-time remote learning, Hamlet said.

On Thursday, Allegheny County Health Department reported 133 new covid-19 cases.

Woodland Hills School District extended online learning for “at least another 30 days,” as announced by Superintendent James Harris.

School districts in Westmoreland County are also preparing for a potential state closure of schools because of increasing case total there.

The school board can still decide against reopening, Carter said. The board’s next meeting is 4 p.m. Wednesday.