Elizabeth Forward elementary students can return to full-time classrooms

By Christine Haines
chaines@yourmvi.com

Elementary students in the Elizabeth Forward School District are being offered the opportunity to go back to school five days a week starting Nov. 4.
The plan to return K-5 students to the classroom on a full-time basis coincides with the start of the second nine-week grading period. Superintendent Dr. Todd Keruskin said parents are being asked to make a commitment for the entire nine-week period.
“People think we can just flip a switch,” Keruskin said during Wednesday night’s school board meeting.
In reality, it takes a lot of schedule coordination to organize the full-time/at-home and full-time/in-school schedules. Keruskin said some students may see changes in their teachers for the second nine weeks because of the changes that need to be made to balance class sizes and staff workloads.
“It’s stressful, no doubt, trying to meet the needs of all the students,” Keruskin said.
A survey of parents in the district showed that about 80% wanted their children to return to school full-time. Keruskin said that means social distancing will not be able to be maintained at all times, so masks will need to be worn constantly except during lunch and during brief mask breaks when students are 6 feet apart.
“The county health department has been telling us it’s about the mask and not letting your guard down,” Keruskin said.
Keruskin and Assistant Superintendent Keith Konyk presented the plan to the school board Wednesday. Keruskin said the district has been working closely with the Allegheny County Health Department.
“There’s not a lot of risk in bringing the elementary students back. They aren’t seeing a lot of spread. They are pleasantly surprised seven weeks in,” Keruskin said.

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