Bucks Co. Schools Announce Reversals To Reopening Plans

BUCKS COUNTY, PA — Multiple Bucks County school districts have reversed their back-to-school plans this week due to concerns over safety and staffing. At least three districts — including the largest in Bucks County — this week announced they are no longer going to be able to provide in-person instruction at the start of the fall.

The Pennsbury School District is the latest to announce it is considering a major change to its fall plans. The district, which was supposed to offer a hybrid option starting in early October, is now considering postponing all in-person classes through at least January.

Pennsbury Superintendent William Gretzula and school board President T.R. Kannan released a joint statement Wednesday announcing that the board will consider the new plan at its Aug. 20 meeting.

The change is being considered due to "mounting concerns around issues of health and safety" as well as"practical constraints around staffing," Wednesday's announcement said.

Under the new proposal, all Pennsbury students would study remotely through at least Jan. 29.

A plan approved by Pennsbury in late July would have started the school year remotely, but allowed most students to move to a hybrid model of in-person classes and remote learning as early as Oct. 5.

On Monday, the county's largest school district reversed course for the fall due to staffing shortages. The Central Bucks School District, which was offering an option for in-person learning starting Sept. 8, said Monday it will now be fully virtual through Nov. 11.

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

The decision to go fully virtual was made after administrators reviewed responses from Central Bucks parents regarding their instructional preferences.

"Upon receipt of these responses, we applied the data to our educational models and began to prepare teacher placement to deliver the various options. As our administrative staff interpreted the data and fulfilled our educational plan with faculty and staff assignments, it became quickly apparent that we do not have adequate staff to safely open school," Kopicki wrote in the announcement.

Kopicki said the district is currently evaluating its 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."

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.

However, dozens of jobs have been added to the Central Bucks employment portal this week.

New Hope-Solebury School District this week also moved to abandon plans for an in-person reopening. The district had been planning to offer families the option for in-person learning five days a week. However, the superintendent said in a letter to families this week that he is recommending a virtual start for all students due to the ongoing pandemic.

The administration is now recommending a virtual opening through at least Nov. 6.

The New Hope-Solebury school board is expected to vote on that change during a special meeting Wednesday.

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