District moves to virtual model
Wissahickon School District has made another change to its reopening strategy amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
As of Aug. 14, Superintendent James Crisfield addressed the ongoing situation in a digital letter to parents and community members, stressing that students in sixth through 12th grades will now be taught in a solely online setting.
“After carefully examining the latest staffing data yesterday, I had to invoke a contingency strand of the approved plan due to the unique nature of staffing at the secondary level,” Crisfield said in the Aug. 14 letter.
While this revision applies to the first marking period, Crisfield cited staffing issues due to the fact that “secondary teachers must be certificated in specific subject areas in order to be legally allowed to teach classes, and with more surrounding districts moving to 100 [percent] virtual, we are unable at this time to staff the secondary schools to open as planned.”
However, “all students will be taught by Wissahickon School District teachers,” Crisfield said.
Crisfield noted that Wissahickon School District students that already chose the virtual model “will automatically be reverted to being scheduled with WSD teachers, in WSD courses,just like a normal school year.”
Those interested in staying in the Wissahickon Virtual Academy should contact representatives from the middle or high school for more information.
Crisfield added that district administrators plan to conduct “targeted hiring in those certification areas where we’re coming up short,” which he hopes will allow the school district to proceed with an “in-person hybrid model” during the second marking period.
Although he clarified the decision would stand if county’s “risk” status, as defined by the state, still allows for it.
Wissahickon School District elementary students will continue with the previously approved scenario, which permitted parents to choose between a virtual or inperson setting, he said.
According to Crisfield, roughly “40 percent of the students in each school have chosen the virtual option,” and district officials have brought on 10 additional teachers.
Wissahickon School District has grappled with its reopening plan for weeks. On July 22, Wissahickon School District’s Board of Directors authorized the following scenarios:
• In-person return to school or fully virtual for elementary school students.
• A hybrid approach for middle school students or virtual options depending on a certain grade level. Sixth graders could opt for a virtual environment with Wissahickon School District teachers, while seventh and eighth graders
would learn from “MVP teachers using an asynchronous learning format.”
• High school students could choose between a hybrid option, where students alternate attending in-person classes on different days, or a virtual choice via the Wissahickon Virtual Academy.
However, Crisfield brought forth a revised teaching and learning plan in an Aug. 5 message calling for an entirely virtual learning model as a number of other school districts have taken the same route.
“I cannot speak to why
other districts changed,” Crisfield said in an Aug. 5 message. “Here, while we were always concerned about our ability to every day, reliably, adequately and safely staff the buildings before our neighbors’ move to virtual, we are VERY concerned about it now.”
Crisfield’s latest proposal was rejected in a 6-2 vote after the roughly 3.5-hour special board meeting on Aug. 6. School Board members Marshall Bleefeld and Ronnie Hayman were in favor of the virtual plan, while Amy Ginsburg was absent from the special board meeting, according to Communications Coordinator Kristen Rawlings.
As for the school district’s current status, Crisfield acknowledged there would be some opposition.
“We are also well aware that there is no perfect, and that there is nobody who is completely satisfied with the plan,” Crisfield said in the Aug. 14 message. “That’s actually wearing on embattled school leaders, and will immediately, on [day one], be a challenge for our faculty and staff as well once school starts.
“If we can all keep that in mind moving forward, and remain flexible and supportive of those in our schools, on the front lines, I’m quite positive that will help immensely and be appreciated more than you can know,” he wrote.