Centennial Working On School Reopening Options

WARMINSTER, PA — With less than two months to go before the first day of classes, officials in the Centennial School District are working to determine what back-to-school will look like in the age of coronavirus.

Administrators, teachers, support staff and school board members are at work on a state-mandated Health and Safety Plan for school reopening.

Three subcommittees have been created to develop three options for how schools may open on Sept. 8. A draft of each group's work is expected to be finished by the end of July. After that, the school district's board of directors will vote on a final plan.

In a video addressing the school community, acting schools Superintendent Tom Seidenberger said the three plans will address traditional, in-person schooling, remote learning from home and a combination of the two.

Parents and the public will have an opportunity to provide input before the school board votes on final approval, he said.

"I want to assure the public that we're really treating this very seriously," Seidenberger said. "And I am confident that the work of so many people will come to fruition, the public will have a chance to offer input and the board will approve.

"Hopefully, together, we can insure that our students will be treated in a safe and secure manner in September."

Last month, Bucks County health officials released school reopening guidelines, offering specific safety measures the county's public school districts should follow as they plan for a fall reopening amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The goal of the guidelines are to plan for a "safe and reasonably normal" reopening, said David Damsker, the director of the Bucks County Health Department.

On its website, the Centennial School District has posted links to guidance that officials will be following as they make plans for the 2020-21 school year. They include the state and county reopening guidelines and a report by the American Academy of Pediatrics Society.

Bucks County is recommending that, for in-person schooling, students be required to wear masks on buses and "possibly in hallways," but not in classrooms. Students and staff will be required to have a mask with them at all times in case it is needed.

Additionally, a minimum distance of three feet spacing is recommended for classroom seating, and seats should be configured to maximize on social distancing, the county recommends.
Other safety recommendations from the county include:

• Parents and guardians must screen children for symptoms before school each day, as must district staff before leaving for work.
• Masks will be required aboard buses, where up to two students will be allowed to share a seat.
• Staff who not able to socially distance from students in class must wear a mask or face shield.
• Frequent hand-washing or sanitizing, and regular disinfection of high-touch surfaces will be required.
• Ventilation in classrooms and common areas will be enhanced when possible.
• High-traffic hallway use will be limited by staggering the end of classroom periods when feasible, and masks may be required if staggering is not feasible.
• Cafeteria seating will be staggered, and possibly assigned, to enforce social distancing and assist contact tracing if necessary.

None of the recommendations are mandatory, the county confirmed.

The Bucks County health department has prepared a list of frequently asked questions about the reopening of schools. Those can be found here.