POTTSVILLE, Pa. — Planning for the upcoming school year has been a challenge for districts all across the country because of the fluidity that comes with the coronavirus. In Pottsville, the district is going with a hybrid plan.
"The blended model for reopening has two learning groups," Pottsville Area School District Acting Superintendent Jared Gerace said. "We have Learning Group A. The students will report to school in person Monday and Tuesday and will learn virtually Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Learning Group B will report to school in person on Thursday and Friday and learn virtually Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday."
That plan was finalized during a virtual meeting earlier this week when the school board also agreed to put a pause on practices for fall sports.
Newswatch 16 caught up with one student who says she's just happy there will be some form of in-class learning, which is better than going virtual full-time.
"I want to go to school because I want to make new friends, especially coming to high school, it's important to meet friends," freshman Sophia Rulavage said. "Of course, maintaining social distancing, virtually learning is going to be tough because we're only going to school two days a week, and that's not a lot of time to get to know the teachers."
"I think the kids should go back to school because it's important for them to have camaraderie with their peers," Ali Rulavage of Pottsville said. "They need to have other opinions, not just their parents' opinions. They need to learn as a person and have their own identity."
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