A message from the Superintendent
Dear Penn-Delco family:

I am pleased to be in a position to finally reach out with promising news on the prospect of increased in-person learning for our students. As you know, for months the school district has been sympathetic to the pleas from parents for additional in-person learning time for their children.

There is no question that the current provision of 2 days of in-person hybrid instruction has been less than ideal for too many students; and a particular challenge for parents of our youngest students. Public health directives for distancing have prevented us from bringing back all cohorts to the classroom simultaneously…until now.

Given the significant drop in COVID rates throughout the region combined with the impressive evidence of schools operating as such a safe public space throughout this period, the Chester County Health Department (CCHD) has revised its guidance to support schools by “increasing more in-person learning through reduced physical distancing”. It is now evident that the district will be able to merge cohorts to minimally double the time of in-person instruction, and still meet updated social distancing guidelines.

The updated guidance, which has been driven by clear and compelling evidence about the efficacy of a multi-layered mitigation approach, is well-timed for our district as the COVID metrics in Penn-Delco are favorable. There continues to be no measurable in-school transmission of the virus, cases in our municipalities are at multi-month lows, and the number of persons placed in quarantine has slowed to a trickle. Thankfully, it appears we are seeing the clouds shift with brighter days ahead.
When can this start?
While we are excited about the possibility of increasing the number of days per week for in-person instruction, the transition process will take at least 3-4 weeks. The CCHD guidance calls for a multi-week period of time in which county COVID rates remain below a prescribed level. That alone will push back any potential return of students to at least the third week in March. The district is currently working through the logistics and a firm timeline on when this can occur will be presented to our Board of School Directors. I anticipate a phased return that will prioritize our youngest students who are less successful learning virtually.
What will be different?
Students will no longer need to be separated by cohorts. Our facilities department has always been ready with plans for a return of students at physical distances that sought to maximize 6 feet of separation where feasible, but at no time could that be below 3 feet. Those plans match the new guidance as public health agencies have learned that school districts operating within this range have no discernible difference in COVID transmission rates than those who draw a strict line at 6 feet.

Maximizing social distancing will still be a goal, but it no longer is required as a limitation that keeps entire cohorts of students home from school. For instance, we recently merged both cohorts of our Kindergarten students and found ways to do so while meeting 6 feet of distancing. That will be our aim, but we know that the distancing could be of a lesser amount, aligned with the current health guidance. All of the other effective mitigation strategies: masking, screening, washing hands, additional cleaning etc. will continue as they have proven to be effective.
What happens next?
Penn-Delco families will receive additional information within the next week that will include a timeline and a collection of Frequently Asked Questions about this transition. Kindly hold individual inquiries for staff or principals until we complete and disseminate that information.

In the meantime, our admin team is continuing to work through the logistics to ensure any change meets the updated health guidelines, is considerate of health and safety of our staff and students, and arrives at an instructional model that is beneficial to students and viable for staff. Parents/Guardians of children who were initially enrolled in our 2-day hybrid program will be asked to confirm their interest in moving to 4 days of in-person instruction for their children.
Students will be expected to attend in-person learning as scheduled, and cannot drift back and forth between virtual some days and in-person on others (Elementary Students currently enrolled in the ALL-CYBER option will continue to be enrolled in their Penn Delco Cyber Class, unless parents choose to have their children return to school).
What about synchronous Wednesdays?
There are advantages to keeping the Wednesday schedule that is currently in place that I believe outweigh a conversion to in-person instruction. This day has successfully been used for additional deep cleaning of our buildings, has enabled us to avoid extended school closures under the former state health guidance, permitted the opportunity for certain virtual clubs and student meetings, and has offered a limited afternoon wellness break for students who are having difficulties working through COVID.

Without the current Wednesday schedule, our schools could potentially have to close for multiple days or up to a week (although unlikely), due to the potential of new, known COVID cases among students or staff, even if they are contracted outside of school. Parents in some of our schools can recall when we were forced to close a specific school for at least a day when COVID was rampant in our region. The Wednesday schedule often enabled us to limit the length of those closings.

Although those days are long past, prudence justifies a recommendation to keep it in place. I believe the limited number of remaining Wednesdays are better spent under our existing schedule that relies on remote learning, to ensure the rest of the year remains successful in keeping our students in school for the other 4 days per week.
Anything else?
Yes, thank you for your patience and support. Our staff care deeply about kids and we know too many children desperately need more in-person instruction. We know too many children across the country are struggling with their mental health, their well-being, their desire for a return to normalcy. Thankfully, we can move a step forward in making progress and improving the educational experience for our students. They deserve it.