The continuing rise in COVID-19 cases in the district and Cumberland County has prompted Carlisle Area School District to move to Tier 1 fully remote instruction starting Tuesday and running until Jan. 18.
Also, the superintendent of Cumberland Valley schools announced the temporary closing of four schools and asked the community’s help as the district approaches a “critical tipping point” in keeping schools open.
Carlisle Superintendent Christina Spielbauer announced the decision Monday in an email to parents just as the district was scheduled to resume in-person classes on Tuesday following a short-term closure and the Thanksgiving holiday break.
Carlisle is the second school district to announce a full-remote learning plan until mid-January. South Middleton School District announced Wednesday it would keep its buildings closed until Jan. 19.
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Spielbauer said Carlisle’s decision was made in collaboration with the Pennsylvania Department of Health based on the results of case investigations, information from contact tracing, the level of community spread, the positivity rate and the number of students and staff members in quarantine.
“Although we had hoped that our short-term closure would slow the number of positive cases, unfortunately our district cases and the cases in Cumberland County continue to rise,” she said in her email to parents.
As of Monday, Carlisle school district had over 45 confirmed positive cases of COVID-19, of which, over half were reported during the short-term closure.
“Daily we are alerted of positive cases of students and/or staff in our district,” Spielbauer said. “There are numerous more pending test results of students and staff with multiple symptoms of COVID-19.”
Over the holiday weekend, district administrators received word of a number of staff and students who need to quarantine due to out-of-state holiday travel or possible exposure to the virus.
“Due to the high number of absences, we can no longer safely and appropriately fill staff vacancies in the classrooms,” Spielbauer wrote in her email. “The rising number of cases in Cumberland County is increasing the community spread. Cumberland County has been in the ‘substantial category’ for COVID-19 for three weeks or more. The increasing positivity rate of the county is of extreme concern following the holiday weekend.”
Tier 1 transition
As a result, the next three days — Dec. 1-3 — will be used as transition days to allow sufficient time for building principals and teachers to fully communicate the Tier 1 schedule to families.
“During this transition period, we will maintain the same short-term closure schedule which students and families have experienced during the November short-term closure period,” Spielbauer wrote. “This allows an opportunity for families to receive the new video conference (Zoom) requirements and schedules, to plan a new daily routine, and to make appropriate arrangements for their students to be present at all required sessions.”
The transition period will also allow teachers to transition lessons and activities from the Groups A and B cohort model into the new model in which all students merge into a single cohort to learn.
For much of this school year, Carlisle was operating under a Tier 2 hybrid model where students were divided into Groups A and B and alternate between two days of in-person instruction and three days of remote instruction. The move to Tier 1 means being fully remote the whole time school is in session. The Tier 1 schedule takes effect this Friday.
“In the Tier 1 model, you will notice several changes to the educational experience,” Spielbauer wrote. “These include schedule modifications which will be outlined by your building’s principal as well as required video conference (Zoom) sessions at least four days a week at both the elementary and secondary levels.”
Under Tier 1, all students are expected to participate in all experiences including Zoom meetings and discussion forums. Students will no longer be identified as belonging to either the A or B groups. Teachers will contact students to explain the changes.
Community effort
“This move to a Tier 1 model was not taken lightly, but it is the safest decision for our students and staff,” Spielbauer said. “We recognize the added challenges that your family will likely face and we will work with you to support you in any way possible. Remember that returning to in-person learning is a community effort.”
Prior to the Thanksgiving break, Spielbauer outlined a series of steps local residents can take to help control the spread of COVID-19. She repeated those steps in her letter to district families Monday.
“We ask that everyone do their part by wearing masks that cover the mouth and nose, maintaining social distance, limiting gathering sizes (especially during the upcoming holidays), and frequently washing hands,” Spielbauer said. “Take care and be well.”
Online Learning Curve: A look at how Cumberland County schools adapt to virtual edcuation
Sentinel Reporter Joe Cress takes a look at how area school districts have managed the move to an online learning format as they deal with the COVID-19 pandemic:
- Building a focused approach for teachers
- Making the call to go all online
- The emotional wear and tear of COVID
- Surges in virtual academy enrollment
- The challenge of livestream lessons
- The future in online lessons
Cumberland Valley School District created its own virtual academy over the summer to meet the anticipated demand of families seeking an alternative to in-person instruction. Other local districts see an enrollment surge in their already established academies.
Logistical issues make it difficult for some school districts to implement livestream lessons as a virtual learning option.
Technology and structures put into place for COVID will lay the groundwork for future development of virtual learning programs in local school districts.
“This is a really challenging year for everybody,” said Michael Gogoj, director of curriculum and instruction for the Carlisle Area School District. “Our students are struggling with this new educational world. Our teachers are working really hard to learn and manage new systems. Our families are working hard to step in as their child’s teacher and to take on entirely new roles in the educational process."
“We understand the short-term closure has many impacts on families and our teaching staff,” Spielbauer said. “Right now, it’s community spread. It’s not considered school spread but, if we can’t get it under control in our community, it will become school spread and we will have a larger challenge on our hands.”
Lessons learned this spring from the COVID-19 shutdown changed the way local school districts conducted the professional development of teachers in the lead-up to schools reopening.
Distance learning is going to last longer than expected. Here are some ideas to make sure your child's online learning goes smoothly.
Cumberland Valley schools
On a day when Cumberland Valley School District announced the temporary closing of two elementary schools and a middle school due to COVID-19 cases, Superintendent David E. Christopher sent a note to parents asking for their help to help keep schools open.
CV posted information on its website Monday announcing the temporary closings of Mountain View Middle School, Shaull Elementary School and Silver Spring Elementary School for face-to-face instruction until Dec. 4 due to COVID-19 cases in the schools.
Christopher followed those notes with a general note to all parents in the district.
“As we prepare to return to school tomorrow, we want to write this brief note to you to ask for your help,” Christopher said in the release. “To be blunt, daily cases of COVID-19 are at an all-time high, and we are reaching a critical tipping point in our ability to maintain effective face-to-face programming.
“We have said from the start of the school year that our goal is to not only open, but to remain open. To do this, we need your help.”
The message on the CV website lists 22 cases of COVID 19 in the past 14 days for the district, including seven in the high school.
The message said the district cannot adequately staff Shaull or Mountain View for face-to-face instruction due to the number of staff who are quarantining due to symptoms or exposure to COVID-19.
“Now, more than ever, we must come together as a school community. We implore you to please continue to be vigilant about following Centers for Disease Control and Pennsylvania Department of Health guidelines,” Christopher’s message reads. “Practice social distancing. Wear face coverings when appropriate. Wash your hands regularly. Avoid gatherings outside of those in which you share a home. Limit travel, but if you must, be sure to follow DoH travel restrictions that are currently in place.
“We know that the best way to educate (y)our children is in our schools. We miss them when they are not with us. But if we cannot effectively mitigate the number cases of COVID-19, we will be left with no choice but to transition to fully online learning across the district.”