Pennsylvania Schools Can Reopen For In-person Teaching On July 1

Natasha Brown reports.

PENNSYLVANIA RE-OPENINGPLAN, TODAY EDUCATIONOFFICIALS SET DATE FORTEACHERS AND STUDENTS TORETURN TO THE CLASSROOM.NATASHA BROWN EXPLAINS THESCHOOLS MUST FOLLOW CERTAINHEALTH AND SAFETY PROCEDURES.ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARYSCHOOLS IN PENNSYLVANIA'S LESSRESTRICTIVE YELLOW AND GREENZONES CAN REOPEN ON JULY 1ST.THE COVID-19 PANDEMICSHUTTERED ALL SCHOOLS INPHILADELPHIA AND THROUGHOUTTHE COMMONWEALTH IN MID MARCH,SENDING STUDENTS INTO VIRTUALLEARNING SETTINGS, ON JULY 1STIN PERSON TEACHING AND OTHERACTIVITIES CAN RESUME.THE PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OFEDUCATION HAS ESTABLISHEDSTRICT GUIDELINES FORRE-OPENING SCHOOLS THATCOINCIDE WITH CDCRECOMMENDATIONS, HEALTH ANDSAFETY PROCEDURES MUST MEETSTATE AND FEDERAL GUIDELINES,K THROUGH 12 SCHOOLS THAT WANTTO START IN PERSON TEACHINGMUST FIRST CONSULT LOCALHEALTH AGENCIES.SCHOOLS WILL ALSO HAVE TO IDAPANDEMIC COORDINATOR HAD WILLMONITOR SYMPTOMS, LIMIT LARGEGATHERINGS, ISSUE HYGIENEGUIDELINES, AND ADDRESSCLEANING, FACE MASKS ANDSOCIAL DISTANCING.THE REQUIREMENTS DO NOT APPLYTO PRIVATE SCHOOLS, ALTHOUGHOFFICIALS URGING THEM TOFOLLOW SUIT.PHILADELPHIA SCHOOLSUPERINTENDENT DOCTOR WILLIAMHITE ADDRESSED RE-OPENINGANNOUNCEMENT ON FACEBOOK,SAYING, PHILLY SCHOOLS ARE INNO WAY READY FOR A JULYRESTART.THE TOGETHER HERE IN THECITY BETWEEN DISTRICT ANDCHARTER SCHOOLS THERE ARE OVER200,000 STUDENTS, THE NEXTLARGEST DISTRICT IN THECOMMONWEALTH IS PITTSBURGHWITH 25,000 STUDENTS.AND THEN THE VAST MAJORITY,60% OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, INTHE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA, THECOMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA,ARE BETWEEN 200 AND A THOUSANDSTUDENTS.AND SO THERE ARE MULTIPLEAPPROACHING AND PDS TRYING TOBE FLEXIBLE ENOUGH IT MAKESURE THAT ALL DISTRICTS HAVESOME SUPPORT.PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OFEDUCATIONS ACTION PLANS TOROLL OUT MORE GUIDELINES FORRE-OPENING SCHOOLS IN THE