Survey supports return to school

LOWER POTTSGROVE » Twothirds of Pottsgrove parents responding to a school district survey say they would return their children to school in the fall, despite coronavirus fears.

The survey results also show that the older the students are, the more willing their parents are to have them return to school, at least part-time.

Nevertheless, the majority of those responding also want to be assured property safety guidelines are in place.

Parents are pretty evenly split about providing their own transportation to school and putting their students on a bus.

Among three options — fulltime in-person classes, half and half, or full-time at- home learning — the hybrid option was the least popular among parents who responded to the survey.

The survey also showed that almost 100 percent of Pottsgrove households responding have Internet access; adequate bandwidth; and 85 percent have at least one device for each student in the household.

As of June 24, 714 responses to the survey had been received, which represents 37 percent of the 1,950 families with students in the district.

Schools across the Commonwealth

and across the country are struggling to puzzle out the best response to the start of school, now less than two months away, and also follow the endlessly shifting health guidelines being issued to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

Just last week, the Pennsylvania Health Department issued an order that all students and staff must wear masks in school. And there are reports that, as cases of the number of virus cases surge again, the federal Centers for Disease Control, will be shortly issuing a new set of guidelines.

Still, districts have little choice but to press forward as best they can.

On Tuesday, Pottsgrove announced the pending adoption of a plan for student-athletes and band musicians to return to school for summer practices. It is expected to be adopted July 15.