Central Bucks To Start Year Virtually Due To Staffing Shortfall

DOYLESTOWN, PA — The Central Bucks School District has abandoned plans to reopen school buildings after teacher shortages will logistically prevent a return to the classrooms come September. The district had planned to offer a five-day, in-person learning option at the elementary level and a hybrid option for secondary students.

Central Bucks Superintendent John Kopicki broke the news to the community in a Monday morning announcement.

"Unfortunately, Central Bucks School District will need to begin the school year on September 8th in a 100% online instructional model for all students, grades K-12," the letter to the school community said.

The virtual start to the year will extend until Nov. 11.

"In the interim, we will continue to evaluate our staffing and immediately seek to employ the appropriate number of personnel to achieve our original goal of implementing all options of our reopening plan as soon as possible," Kopicki said.

It was not immediately clear how many teacher resignations or leave requests were submitted to prompt the need to close school buildings. The district did not respond to multiple requests seeking comment.

The Central Bucks Education Association, which is the district's teachers union, did not respond to a request seeking comment.

On July 21, the Central Bucks School Board passed its health and safety plan outlining the learning options for the fall. The plan allows the administration to revise its recommendations as needed based on changing guidelines and conditions, said Board President Beth Darcy.

"Under the plan, the board must be notified of any revisions, and it has been. However, an additional vote is not required," Darcy said in an email to Patch.

She said the decision to start fully virtual "comes only after a thorough analysis of student registrations and staffing."

Kopicki noted that while school will start remotely, the district will "continue to work on solutions to bring our students back into their schools under the selected choice parents chose. Our goal is and has been to reopen our schools and operate in a safe environment while providing the best education for our students."