Nazareth plans 5 days in school for K-3rd grade

Nazareth Area School District will bring kindergarten through third grade students back to school for in-person learning five days a week beginning March 22, the School Board voted unanimously Tuesday night.

These students, like the rest of the district, have been learning in a two-day hybrid instructional model. The change will eliminate the hybrid option for these grades, but the online-only cyberschool program will remain.

In a survey of parents of kindergarten through third grade students, 80% responded that they wanted their children to return to school five days a week, board President Linda Stubits said.

“So we are honoring their requests for their children,” she said.

The district will be able to adhere to 6 feet of space between students in those classrooms, Superintendent Dennis Riker said.

“Does that make for a little bit more of a rigid environment for our boys and girls? It absolutely does,” Riker said. “But it’s one that I feel very confident that our teachers are going to be able to work through.”

Hybrid students have first priority to elect the five-day option, Riker said. Cyberstudents can ask to transition as space allows. The district planned to send a letter to parents Wednesday to find out which option they would like. It’s asking for responses by March 2.

Discussions have begun on bringing back other grade levels, but these have different challenges, Riker said, including larger class sizes and more complicated schedules.

In early February, the Nazareth teachers union threatened to teach only online unless the district agreed to bargain with them, but days later withdrew the threat. Riker said Tuesday that the union formed a safety committee, with whom the administration has met.

“We continue to work collaboratively with the safety committee,” he said.

Second and third grade students in Northwestern Lehigh School District began a four-day in-person schedule Monday, which is part of the district’s phased plan to increase in-person learning for elementary students. Kindergarten and first grade students returned for four days beginning Jan. 26.

The online format is still an option for all Northwestern Lehigh students. Fourth through 12th grade students will continue in hybrid or online learning.

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