TESD Students May Return To Classrooms 4-5 Days By March 15

TREDYFFRIN TOWNSHIP, PA — Tredyffrin/Easttown school district parents will be choosing in the week ahead whether to send their children back to school every day, with 3-feet distancing in place, or whether they will keep their children home in remote learning the rest of the year.

The Tredyffrin/Easttown School Board on Feb. 22 discussed Chester County Health Department guidance updates that reduce social distancing to 3 feet, and if COVID-19 numbers continue to improve, 4-5 days a week in-school instruction could begin by March 15.

The school district is asking parents to once again select an instructional model for the rest of the school year, and is providing information to help them make that choice.

The TESD school board will hold a virtual public meeting on March 1 at 7:30 p.m. and will vote on a plan to return to more in-person instruction.

"TESD is prepared to quickly analyze the family instructional model commitments and adjust classrooms, lunch arrangements, bus routes, and many other aspects of the school day. We know many families have questions and may need additional information before selecting an instructional model for the rest of this school year," a district memo to parents said.

"We will share further information about the new plan on March 1 and we will also share details directly with families prior to the selection window deadline of March 3 so families are able to make an informed decision," the notice stated.

The Chester County Health Department's new guidance includes updates on physical distancing, layered mitigation efforts, and community transmission levels. View a summary of the county health department's updated guidance here.

The changes to physical distancing recommendations will allow TESD to expand in-person instruction to 4 or 5 days a week once Chester County transmission rates are below 100 per 100,000 people, and as long as percent positivity rates (PCR) remain below 10 percent, TESD administration explained.

"If the county transmission levels continue their downward trend and meet these thresholds for three weeks, TESD could begin returning to full in-person instruction 4 or 5 days a week beginning on March 15 while complying with CCHD guidance," the district said. View Chester County's weekly COVID-19 transmission data here.

Hybrid instruction is being let go as an option and families will be asked to commit to either full in-person instruction (4 or 5 days per week) or 100 percent virtual instruction. The district said this is because of the logistics of setting up physically distanced classrooms while maintaining the layered mitigation strategies still required.

The goal of hybrid instruction was to offer an in-person instructional model that incorporated 6 feet of physical distancing. Once Chester County meets the threshold to move to physical distancing of less than 6 feet, the new CCHD guidance will allow districts to expand in-person instruction.

A key component of the updated guidance is its changes to recommendations on physical distancing in schools. Once the county has moved out of the very high level of community transmission and has remained in the lower level for three weeks, a school district can reduce physical distancing for students to less than 6 feet. View a chart showing the standards for transmission levels as they relate to social distancing, here.

The CCHD continues to recommend physical distancing of 6 feet to the greatest extent possible and at no time is less than 3 feet of physical distancing permitted. And, 6 feet of physical distancing is still required for staff in their interactions with students and each other.

"We understand that some families are not yet comfortable returning their children to school during this pandemic. To support these families, we will continue to offer a 100 percent virtual instruction option through the end of the 2020-2021 school year," TESD said.

Tredyffrin/Easttown School District has a student enrollment of 6,957 and 1,067 staff. It reports 79 cases of COVID-19 since Oct. 12 of last year. The TESD COVID-19 Dashboard can be viewed here.

TESD announced Wednesday that families will receive instructions on how to select an instructional model for the remainder of the 2020-2021 school year. The window to select an instructional model will be open through March 3.

Read a story about Chester County Health Department updated guidance here.

Make sure you know what's happening in your town. Sign up to get Patch emails and don't miss any local news: https://patch.com/subscribe.