Pittsburgh Public Schools officials propose delaying in-person learning

"We want to push those dates back," Hamlet said. "Bring faculty and staff back on Feb. 1 and students back on Feb. 8."

"We want to push those dates back," Hamlet said. "Bring faculty and staff back on Feb. 1 and students back on Feb. 8."

>> THE STUDENT I SPOKE WITH SAYS SHES GONE THROUGH A SLEW OF EMOTIONS. SHE IS A SENIOR HERE AT TAYLOR ALLDERDICE HIGH SCHOOL AND SHE SAYS LAST MARCH WHEN THEY WERE GIVEN THOSE FIRST 2 WEEKS OFF, SHE WAS KINDA EXCITED THEN SHE BECAME UPSET. NOW KNOWING THEY ARE DELAYED AGAIN, SHE SAYS SHE ACTUALLY UNDERSTANDS >> FOR ISABELLA DIPIETRO-HARVEY THAT THOUGH IS SOMETHING SHE SAYS SHE HAS COME TO ACCEPT. >> THIS WAS A YEAR I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO. I AM MISSING MY FRIENDS. SHE NOW BELIEVES STAYING HOME LONGER IS THE RIGHT DECISION. >> I WOULD MUCH RATHER BE AT HOME KNOWING ALL OF MY FRIENDS AND THE KIDS I GO TO SCHOOL WITH ARE SAFE RATHER THAN GOING TO SCHOOL RISKING THAT SAFETY >> SAFETY IS THE REASON PITTSBURGH PUBLIC SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT SAYS HE PROPOSED ANOTHER DELAY TO IN PERSON LEARNING. STUDENTS WERE EXPECTED TO RETURN TO THE CLASSROOM IN A HYBRID MODEL ON THE 27TH. MONDAY DR. ANTHONY HAMLET SUGGESTED MOVING THAT TO FEBRUARY 8 DUE TO THE HIGH COVID COUNT IN THE COUNTY. FOR DIPIETRO-HARVEY THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE THERE IS THE CONSTANT CHANGE. HEARING THAT IT JUST KEEPS GETTING PUSHED BACK IS REALLY STRESFULL 3 AND THAT UP AND DOWN HAS LED THIS TEEN WHO HOPED TO CELEBRATE HER SENIOR YEAR IN THE HALLWAYS WITH HER FRIENDS TO DECIDE THAT NO MATTER WHAT DATE THE DISTRICT CHOSES FOR IN PERSON LEARNIN NOW SHE CHOSES TO STAY HOME. SHE THINKS IT GIVES HER THE BEST CHANCE FOR CONSISTANCY AND A SENSE OF NORMALCY SOON >> THE MORE THAT WE SOCIAL DISTANCE AND KEEP OUR MASKS ON AND STAY AY HOME YA KNPOW MAYBE THERE IS A CHANCE AT THE END OF THE SUMME RTHAT YOU’LL GET A GRADUATION PARTY BUT THATS THE GOAL RIGHT NOW IT REALLY SUCKS BUT LIKE I UNDERSTAND I GET IT >> RIGHT NOW THIS DELAY IS JUST A PROPOSED DELAY. WE ARE AWAITING WORD FROM THE THE DISTRICT ON WHEN THEY’LL MAKE THEIR FINAL DECISION ON WHEN STUDENTS WILL WALK BACK THROUGH THESE

Pittsburgh Public Schools officials propose delaying in-person learning

"We want to push those dates back," Hamlet said. "Bring faculty and staff back on Feb. 1 and students back on Feb. 8."

Pittsburgh Public Schools Superintendent Anthony Hamlet proposed delaying the start to in-person learning, an additional two weeks.The district tentatively planned to bring staff back into the buildings on Jan. 18 and students on Jan. 27, but during the district's finance meeting on Monday night, Hamlet asked to change those dates. "We want to push those dates back," Hamlet said. "Bring faculty and staff back on Feb. 1 and students back on Feb. 8." Hamlet said he made the proposal due to the recent increase in COVID-19 cases."We know coming out of the holiday break there will be a COVID spike and a spike won't manifest itself until between the 15th and the 30th," Hamlet said. "It really sucks," said Isabella DiPietro-Harvey, a senior at Taylor Allderdice High School "At the beginning I didn't want to come to terms with it, but I want to get this whole pandemic, I want to get it over with. I wanna be able to go outside and not wear a mask. I wanna know that people are gonna be okay if I'm within 6 feet of them. I just think it's smarter for us to stay home in the long run."Sylvia Wilson, president of the district's Board of Directors, said the bottom line for making this decision is the number of COVID-19 cases in the county.“The biggest concern is for the students their families and the employees and the teachers as well,” she said.According to state data, Allegheny County remains on a substantial level for community transmission. The state Department of Education recommends only elementary school students return to classrooms in substantial level areas.Nina Esposito-Visgitis, president of the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers, said she was surprised by the proposal, but would ask that they extend the delay for longer."I would hope they can wait until the vaccine is available to our teachers," Esposito-Visgitis said.Pittsburgh Public Schools held a virtual education meeting at 5:30 p.m. The delay could be discussed, but a spokesperson for the district said they are not expected to vote on the proposal, during that meeting. Wilson said reaction to the possible delay is mixed. She acknowledges that other school districts have reopened school buildings. She said for a large school district like PPS, everything has to be considered. “There’s just so many complications and it’s not as easy as some people would think,” Wilson said.

PITTSBURGH —

Pittsburgh Public Schools Superintendent Anthony Hamlet proposed delaying the start to in-person learning, an additional two weeks.

The district tentatively planned to bring staff back into the buildings on Jan. 18 and students on Jan. 27, but during the district's finance meeting on Monday night, Hamlet asked to change those dates.

"We want to push those dates back," Hamlet said. "Bring faculty and staff back on Feb. 1 and students back on Feb. 8."

Hamlet said he made the proposal due to the recent increase in COVID-19 cases.

"We know coming out of the holiday break there will be a COVID spike and a spike won't manifest itself until between the 15th and the 30th," Hamlet said.

"It really sucks," said Isabella DiPietro-Harvey, a senior at Taylor Allderdice High School "At the beginning I didn't want to come to terms with it, but I want to get this whole pandemic, I want to get it over with. I wanna be able to go outside and not wear a mask. I wanna know that people are gonna be okay if I'm within 6 feet of them. I just think it's smarter for us to stay home in the long run."

Sylvia Wilson, president of the district's Board of Directors, said the bottom line for making this decision is the number of COVID-19 cases in the county.

“The biggest concern is for the students their families and the employees and the teachers as well,” she said.

According to state data, Allegheny County remains on a substantial level for community transmission. The state Department of Education recommends only elementary school students return to classrooms in substantial level areas.

Nina Esposito-Visgitis, president of the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers, said she was surprised by the proposal, but would ask that they extend the delay for longer.

"I would hope they can wait until the vaccine is available to our teachers," Esposito-Visgitis said.

Pittsburgh Public Schools held a virtual education meeting at 5:30 p.m. The delay could be discussed, but a spokesperson for the district said they are not expected to vote on the proposal, during that meeting.

Wilson said reaction to the possible delay is mixed. She acknowledges that other school districts have reopened school buildings.

She said for a large school district like PPS, everything has to be considered.

“There’s just so many complications and it’s not as easy as some people would think,” Wilson said.

Pittsburgh Public Schools officials propose delaying in-person learning

"We want to push those dates back," Hamlet said. "Bring faculty and staff back on Feb. 1 and students back on Feb. 8."

TRACKING THE COVID-19 VACCINE

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