• Pine-Richland parents protest for reopening schools.
Parents gathered Monday night outside the administrative offices of the Pine-Richland School District in Pine to urge school board members to fully reopen schools as soon as possible.
With the exception of December and January — when COVID-19 cases in Allegheny County were at their highest — “Pine-Richland has had some level of in-person learning for the 2020-2021 school year,” said district spokeswoman Rachel Hathhorn. The hybrid schedule has half of the students in class in person at any one time.
But kindergarten through third graders have had the option to be in class constantly except in December and January, and the parents at the rally Monday night said they want that model for all students now.
At the rally, parents of students of all ages and some students themselves held signs that said “#openPR” and “Hybrid’s not working.”
A parent of twin seniors at PineRichland High School, Amy Terchick had sent a survey to parents and their students to fill out on Facebook, and the results of that query prompted her to organize Monday’s rally.
“The results were devastating,” she said of the survey.
Many students who completed it said they had suffered mental health issues and felt disconnected from learning and their peers, Ms. Terchick said.
At a board meeting Monday night that was livestreamed on YouTube, members discussed a system in which grades four through 12 would enter a phased plan to return, allowing parents to decide whether their children would attend in person, online or continue the hybrid model.
“The bottom line is, it’s about freedom of choice,” said Stephanie Boivin, who has children in sixth and seventh grades. “It’s more important for these kids to be back in school.”
A motion for a vote was made by board member Greg DiTullio, but it was not seconded. In his motion, Mr. DiTullio noted that he thought the current phased reopening plan was “too slow.”
The school board will send out a survey to parents Tuesday asking them their preference: full time in person, full time online or hybrid. Board members want the surveys back by Friday.
Administrators will use the information to determine the projected number of students returning full time to classrooms or continuing on a hybrid schedule in each class, plan seating charts for contact tracing, and schedule locker use and lunch times.
Some parents, though, said they are done with surveys.
“Frankly, we think it’s a stalling tactic,” Ms. Terchick said. “I’m frustrated — nothing has been done.”
About 50 people attended the rally, and frustration was a feeling echoed by many parents.
“Yeah, I’m frustrated,” said Lisa Lane, whose daughter Abby is a junior and also attended the rally. “There isn’t a clear message, and we’re tired of hearing they’re going to complete a survey.”
According to the board plan, once survey results are in, the phased reopening would begin March 18, with students in grades four through six and seniors returning to schools.
After spring break, on April 8, grades sevem to 11 are projected to come back, although the entire plan hinges on COVID-19 case counts remaining low.
“We have a whole lot of scheduling and logistics to consider,” Pine-Richland Superintendent Brian Miller said during the meeting. “We are just now at the place to be discussing this.”