Oct. 12 target set for partial reopening

Ability to return to class depends on coronavirus positivity rate

SOUTH COVENTRY » If the Owen J. Roberts School District can keep its coronavirus positivity numbers low for the next two weeks, partial in- person classes may begin again.

The school board has approved a phased- in plan that could have some students back in the classroom, at least part- time, by Oct. 12.

Prior to the district shifting gears before the start of the new school year and going to all- virtual learning, parents were given a choice.

Some parents chose to keep their students homeand learning online, and some parents had selected a hybrid option for their children in which they would spend two days in classrooms with teachers and three days at home online.

Those hybrid students were divided up into A and B groups in order to limit the number of children in the buildings and ensure social distancing protocols could be followed.

If the trend of new positive coronavirus cases continues downward, according to the plan presented by Superintendent Susan Lloyd, the A group of students ( last names A- K) in grades K- 3; grade 7 and grade 9 will return to class on Oct. 12.

Students in the B group ( last names J through Z) in those same grades will return on Oct. 15.

Shouldthe returnof those students pose no unexpected problems, all students who opted for hybrid learning will return to their respective school buildings on Oct. 19 for the A group and Oct. 22for theBgroup, according to the plan approved by the school board Sept. 21.

“This phased approach to in- person learning will help set our students up for a successful transition and allow school personnel to adjust health and safety procedures as needed due to increases in students attending in- person,” Lloyd wrote in a letter sent home to parents.

The school district is using metrics from four different sets of health experts in determining the positivity rate that will dictate when and if hybrid learning begins. They are the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Chester County Department of Health, the CDC and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

There was an expected jump in new cases after the Labor Day holiday and the rate of new cases in themunicipalities served by the Owen J. RobertsDistrict has vacillated between “moderate” and “high” for the first two weeks of September.

However, CHOP projections show a drop in new cases going into October, according to Lloyd’s presentation and Lloyd confirmed Monday the rate of new cases in Chester County continues to decline.

The presentation notes that when Chester County’s rate of positive tests drops to less than 5 percent, and/ or fewer than 10 cases per 100,000 residents, full fiveday instruction can begin.

“The opening of the 2020- 21 school year has been challenging across our nation. No matter what learning model we are in, we can move forward together by being kind and supportive to one another,” Lloyd wrote.

“Our children will benefit from our practices of physical distancing, mask- wearing, hand- washing, and positivity,” wroteLloyd. “Together we will get through this.”