LEWISBURG, Pa. — Both Lewisburg and Mifflinburg Area School Districts are scheduled to return to school for full-time in-person classes next Thursday, but new recommendations from the Pennsylvania Department of Education have district officials re-evaluating those plans.
With the state's new calculation system, all counties fall into either "substantial," "moderate," or "low" categories.
Based on the state's calculations, Union County is the only county in the state that has reached the "substantial" level. That means the state recommends all schools in Union County should be online only for the time being.
"It's a huge blow for these kids and to tell them oh hey we might go back online again, that's not good enough. We need these kids to get back into school," said Angela Brouse, who has two daughters at Lewisburg Area High School.
"They did not do well online. They need in-person instruction. I work full time from home, so I can't be their personal tutor. It's been a real struggle for them," Brouse said.
Union County has seen more than 125 new COVID-19 cases so far this month. Nearly half of those have been at the Lewisburg Federal Prison.
"This virus is so up and down we never know day to day what will happen," Brooke Persing said.
Brooke Persing has three kids in elementary school in the Lewisburg Area School District. She is planning on sending them all to school for in-person classes but realizes parents must be flexible.
"As much as I prefer that my kids be in school because they like being with the teachers, they love their fellow students. I know that their health and safety is more important and they should be out of school if it needs to be," Persing said.
As for students, 14-year-old Ryan Brouse is excited to start high school and hopes it is in-person.
"I miss seeing my friends every day and just being able to be in a school environment. I like that a lot better," Ryan Brouse said.