WILLIAMSTOWN, Pa. — On the evening of what was scheduled to be its first day of classes, a Dauphin County school district voted to move to a fully in-person learning schedule.
Williams Valley School District’s Health and Safety Plan, approved Aug. 25, planned a two-day in-person hybrid schedule. Half of students would attend school in-person on Monday and Tuesday, while the other half would attend in-person Thursday and Friday. All students would attend live-streamed online classes for three days a week.
The day before school was supposed to start, the district announced all classes would be cancelled until further notice. In a brief Facebook post, the district wrote the abrupt cancellation was “due to concerns regarding live streaming.”
Some parents and guardians commented online in frustration.
“So many parents, guardians and caretakers have prepared themselves for school opening and now this totally unexpected fiasco has all affected to scurry. Get your act together WV,” wrote Howard Frenya.
“Wow, you had months to prepare. There is no excuse for not being ready to meet the needs of your students. Shame on you,” wrote Lynn Barder.
The school board scheduled an emergency meeting on Monday evening, due to a requirement to give the public adequate notice before a public meeting.
At the meeting, the school board introduced and approved a motion to move to a fully in-person schedule, with five days a week of in-person classes. Classes were rescheduled to begin on Sept. 8.
The meeting lasted less than five minutes, and public comment was not taken.
Some parents online applauded the decision.
“Thank you for hearing us parents out! A full 5 day week is what we have been asking for,” wrote John Rubendall.
For families not comfortable with in-person learning, Williams Valley will also offer a fully virtual option with prerecorded classes.
School districts across the country have grappled with how to balance necessary learning with adequate safety.
Williams Valley’s decision goes against the trend of most area school districts, some of which have recently rolled back in-person learning.
South Western School District in York County on Aug. 30 suspended their three-day hybrid schedule to move fully online until Sept. 8.
The Pennsylvania Department of Education suggests districts go fully virtual or hybrid in places with “moderate community spread.” All Central Pennsylvania counties had moderate community spread in the week ending Aug. 28, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health.