Haverford School District Weighing Reopening Options

HAVERFORD TOWNSHIP, PA —The School District of Haverford Township is laying out its plan to reopen schools for the 2020-2021 school year.

Details of this coming school year have yet to be confirmed, but the district is weighing a few options as to how learning will take place.

The district is expected to make a final decision on its plans on July 30.

While how students will be taught is unclear yet, the district will focus on social distancing, health screening, hygiene, and mask usage.

"It’s understood that parents’/guardians’ feelings and concerns about how to safely open schools are very strong and vary widely," the district said on its website. "No one plan will satisfy everyone’s concerns. We’ve done the best we can to offer options and will work to make the school year as safe and positive as possible."

Below are options the board is considering.

Hybrid Model

Students will have in-person classes two days a week with virtual learning (see details of that below) three days a week.

The hybrid model includes:

• Students placed into two cohort groups (A and B): A attends Monday and Wednesday; B attends Tuesday and Thursday; Fridays are another day of full learning – students participate from home in live interactive instruction/discussions or self-paced assignments.
• The in-person school day for middle and high school students will be shortened. Students will complete some assignments and instruction virtually to minimize the need to move throughout the school.
• Greater social distancing on buses.
• Plan based upon the REL (Mid-Atlantic Regional Educational Laboratory) models.
• All other mitigation procedures (masks, sanitizing, daily cleaning, etc.) will remain in place according to Pennsylvania and Chester County Health Authority regulations.

Virtual Learning

If the district's buildings are forced to close, students will learn from home in a totally virtual model.

The virtual model includes:

• Students will learn through a combination of synchronous (live, all at the same time) and asynchronous (recorded, viewed at any time) instruction utilizing digital and non-digital resources.
• This learning model will incorporate adjustments and improvements from the spring emergency remote learning.
• This model is separate and different from our year-round cyber option, Haverford Online.

Haverford Online

Haverford Online is the district’s K–12 online option, which will be available to all students, all the time.

It includes:

• Combination of live, interactive and recorded self-paced learning
• Haverford teachers assigned to all courses.
• Students participate in our programs and remain in the district
• Access to electives, specials
• Full support from school counselor and administrators
• Registration begins July 27.
• Students asked to commit to a full semester, if possible, because of staffing.

An information session on Haverford Online will be held from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday on Zoom.

Follow the link here to attend the Zoom session. Enter the password 405319 to gain access to the session.

Those interested can also attend via phone by calling either of the following numbers:

• 1-312-626-6799
• 1-646-558-8656
• 1-301-715-8592
• 1-346-248-7799
• 1-669-900-9128
• 1-253-215-8782

When dialing these numbers use the webinar ID 876 5376 3881 and 405319 password.

Those who can't join the Zoom session can access a recording of the session online here following the session