
(Philadelphia Tribune photo)
By Chanel Hill
PHILADELPHIA — While School District of Philadelphia administrators hope to have students and staff return to school buildings at the start of the new school year, they are also making some backup plans in case officials order schools to remain closed or there is a second coronavirus outbreak.
They might have students and staff continue to work remotely, or they might implement a hybrid approach in which some students and staff return to the buildings and the other students and staff continue to work remotely.
“It is not likely to be a district-wide plan, but it may depend on the context of individual schools, communities, grade levels, and capacity utilization issues,” Superintendent William Hite said Thursday during his weekly news briefing.
Hite said administrators’ decisions will also depend on health guidelines from the CDC, and local and state officials.
He said he expects to have more information in the coming weeks.
District staff soon will send out surveys asking employees, teachers, students and families about what their experience has been with remote learning and what they would like to see if the district has to continue it to any degree.
Still, district staff are preparing the administrative and school buildings to be open in August.
Hite said administrators are planning on capital improvements, and all buildings will be cleaned in compliance with CDC and state and local health guidelines.
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