Pottstown Schools Plan Reopening, Offer Virtual Academies
POTTSTOWN, PA — A majority of parents in Pottstown School District said they wanted students back in classrooms, but the district is also planning for virtual learning, as an option. Parents wanted "as many safeguards as possible." The district said its plan for reopening will aim at many options to accommodate many situations.
"The big takeaway is that 80 percent of our students and families wish to return to school with as many safeguards as possible," said Stephen Rodriguez, Superintendent of Schools in a July 2 summary of a community survey.
On July 7, Rodriguez communicated with the Pottstown schools community about Gov. Tom Wolf's announcement that state residents should wear masks any time they leave their homes. The superintendent wrote, "It is my understanding this action is in direct response to rising levels of new COVID-19 cases in the Commonwealth. For some parents, this may be welcome news, and for others, it may be very unwelcome news. Please know that we are working on an array of options for our students so that education can continue next year, even if it looks very different."
Along with school administrators statewide, Rodriquez said his district is working hard to assure a strong virtual learning options, even as it also plans for safe in-person attendance that adheres to Department of Education requirements.
Rodriquez urged parents, "If you are seriously or even remotely considering a stay-at-home virtual option for one reason or another, please consider signing up now! A smooth transition into a fully virtual program will be much easier if you have signed up early."
PSD has created the Pottstown Virtual and Alternative Learning Academies as a means of meeting the student body's educational needs and providing an alternative to in-person instruction.
The district's Virtual and Alternative Learning Academies (VAL) offer either online learning, or hybrid instruction that blends online and onsite instruction. The options were created to meet alternative learning needs even beyond those related to the pandemic. Parents of students may apply for the online VAL academy here.
While the district is making plans to resume athletic, music, and other co-curricular programs, it will do so with close attention to the state's guidance to safely reopen programs. Rodriquez said all plans for the responsible restart of co-curricular activities must, by state requirements, be approved by the school board of directors.
This article originally appeared on the Pottstown Patch
