Montco Schools 'Cannot Guarantee' Covid-Free Environment: Leaders

NORRISTOWN, PA — As discussions over the reopening plans of Montgomery County schools this fall continue, top health officials and district leaders are making it clear there is no one size fits all approach. Every school, family, and student will have to choose what's best based on a highly individualized set of circumstances.

One thing that is clear, they repeat: there is no possibility of the elimination of risk of coronavirus, at least not this fall.

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"School districts have been 100 percent clear that they cannot guarantee there will not be coronavirus in their schools this year," Montgomery County Commissioner Val Arkoosh said during a news conference Wednesday. "It's just not possible. You know how contagious this virus is."

Most districts around the county are looking to respond to the need for nuance by offering families a choice.

North Penn has a three-tiered option on the table, with in-person, online, and hybrid options. Methacton has an in-person and online option. Wissahickon is taking a slightly different tact, with an in-person option that only brings students to schools on alternate days, in addition to a fully virtual choice.

The common theme is that families and students choose for themselves.

"The decision for each family really has to be an individual decision for that family and will depend on their personal circumstances," Arkoosh said.

Some major considerations include households which have a high-risk individual, as well as homes which need students to return to school so parents can return to work.

Another factor is the age of the student in question. Younger students do not learn well remotely, the way that older children can. And coincidentally, children under 10 have a very low risk of transmitting the virus, according to studies.

A point of contention for some local school districts, including Norristown, is the lack of consensus seen in the abundance of advice issued by a total of 16 local, state, and federal agencies. The diversity of opinions and sometimes conflicting guidance indicates "obvious lack of coordination" between officials, Norristown Superintendent Christopher Dormer said.

Montgomery County issued its official guidance for school reopening last week, developed in coordination with the Pennsylvania Department of Health's own guidelines. Face coverings are required when moving around the buildings, but can be removed when sitting down more than six feet apart. Districts are trying to keep student desks and students themselves six feet apart whenever possible, but that is not always possible.

The county has suggestions for where it's not feasible: wearing face shield with mask, installing partitions and sneeze guards, among other solutions.

The ongoing major delays in Montgomery County getting test results back could further complicate the issue for schools as they push to offer some form of in-person instruction. When someone has symptoms, they need to know as soon as possible if they need to quarantine.

"It's very difficult to do accurate contact tracing when it takes weeks to get test results back," Arkoosh said.

It's currently taking up to two weeks for some results to come back, as an increase in demand in testing and a spike in cases nationwide has overwhelmed lab systems in Montgomery County.

The county already has employed 25 individuals to work as contact tracers. They said they plan on hiring another 20 to work with school districts.

The goal of state officials remains to work with schools to offer in-person learning in the fall, as reaffirmed by Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Rachel Levine Thursday. The American Academy of Pediatrics has been lobbying for an in-person return for months, saying that the physical, emotional, and mental health of children is dependent upon returning to the classroom.