Council Rock Postpones Vote On Five-Day In-Person Learning

NEWTOWN, PA — The Council Rock School Board tabled a plan Thursday that would have introduced in-person learning five days a week as early as Nov. 16.

At the board's Oct. 1 meeting, a slight majority of the nine-member board expressed support for returning to five-day in-person learning. Since then, ten coronavirus cases have been reported at Council Rock High School North, prompting school administration to shut down the high school last week, a closure that was later extended into this week.

Since Sept. 29, the district has operated on a hybrid model, with half of students attending schools Mondays and Tuesdays and the other half Thursdays and Fridays. All students receive online instruction three days a week, with about 25 percent of students opting for entirely virtual learning.

The move to return to full-time in-person instruction in November was opposed by the Council Rock Education Association, the district's teachers' union, as well as Superintendent Robert Fraser, who has advocated for hybrid learning until coronavirus cases decline.

Superintendent Robert Fraser presented an alternative plan Thursday that offered a slower, more phased approach to bring back five-day learning in late February.

Board member Denise Brooks called it an "excellent" plan and cautioned against a "hurried" move to full-time in-person instruction.

Board member Mark Byelich motioned to table the decision until the board's next meeting on Nov.5, which was approved by a 7-2 vote, but still expressed his support for a closer return to five-day-a-week learning.

"For me, that's too far," Byelich said. "I want five day as soon as possible. I don't think Feb. 22 is the date, and I can't support that."

You can watch the full meeting below: