Abington To Reopen Schools With Hybrid Model In November

ABINGTON, PA — After months of holding only online classes, Abington School District is moving to gradually reopen its doors to in-person instruction.

The school board recently approved a proposal which would bring students back to school for two days a week, starting Nov. 30. The other three days will be spent learning from home. Families still have the option of remaining fully virtual if they need or prefer that choice.

"Students returning to buildings will be split into two separate cohorts, who will attend school on opposite days in order to reduce overall building occupancy," Superintendent Jeffrey Fecher said in a communication sent home to parents.

>>Group Calls Abington Students To Boycott, Demand In-Person Class

Wednesday will remain a fully virtual day for all students.

The new plan will not be put into place until Nov. 30 because teachers need time to prepare for the new learning environment, especially training on new live-streaming technology.

The move comes in the midst of a fall surge of coronavirus in Montgomery County and across Pennsylvania and the rest of the nation. However, local school officials are confident that will health precautions in place and the county's robust testing and contact tracing program running efficiently, they can safely reopen.

Parent groups have been pushing for the district to reopen for months, holding a protest two weeks ago and even urging students to boycott online classes. This group was strongly against the two day a week proposal.

"A plan which involves transportation mid- day, twice a week is excluding the needs of two- parent working and single-parent families," said Gina Glaviano, one of the founders of the Facebook group Reopen Abington Schools.

Among the safety measures in place are one-way hallways, and specific procedures to minimize student gatherings at the start and end of the school day. There will also be regularly scheduled hand washing times and bathroom breaks for elementary students, with signs placed around all buildings to remind students of good hygiene.

Families must let the district know their choice of going hybrid or remaining fully virtual by 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 1. The response must be sent in online via Skyward Family Access under "Method of Instruction."

Abington's newly revised full health and safety plan can be viewed online.