Calls for More Opening Amid COVID Uptick
COVID-19 cases are rising in Delaware County. That uncomfortable fact hung over every part of the October 26 Wallingford-Swarthmore School Board meeting.
Chester County Health Department recommendations for in-person instruction depend largely on two benchmarks: the number of COVID-19 diagnoses per 100,000 residents, and the percentage of COVID-19 tests that are positive. As Superintendent Lisa Palmer reported, both of these measures are up locally in recent weeks.
Between October 16 and 22, the school district saw about 68 cases per 100,000 (up from 46 two weeks earlier), while the county saw about 93 per 100,000 (up from 55 two weeks earlier). The positivity rate in the county during that time rose to 4.68%, up from 3.06%. Positivity rates are not available for the school district.
Palmer noted that the district’s positivity rate, being below 5%, counts as “low” in the Chester County Health Department’s metrics. By this measure, the health department would consider in-person instruction appropriate. However, since Delaware County’s incidence rate is above 80 cases per 100,000, incidence falls in the “very high” range. By that measure, the health department would recommend fully remote instruction. And within the school district itself, the incidence rate falls in the “high” category. The health department recommends either virtual or hybrid instruction for communities in this category.
Palmer reported that she speaks to members of the Chester County Health Department weekly to talk through the latest COVID statistics and their implications for schools. They discuss forecasts and what can be known about where transmission seems to be taking place.
“We know COVID is in our community,” Palmer said. But “are the COVID cases in our buildings?” If COVID-19 remains rare in district schools, Palmer believes it will be possible to keep school buildings open. But she notes that masking, distancing, and good hygiene are crucial.
COVID in the Schools
Five cases of COVID-19 were recorded in district schools and buses during the week of October 19. One case was in Strath Haven High School, one was in Strath Haven Middle School, and three were on school buses. (Some district staff, like drivers and some nurses, work only in the transportation system, not in school buildings.) At the meeting, Palmer noted two more recent cases, one in the middle school and one at Nether Providence Elementary School, bringing the total to seven.
Palmer described what her staff does when a positive case is reported. First they gather information including the day of diagnosis, the last day the infected person was in school, and whether they were symptomatic that day. The district reports that information to the Chester County Health Department, which undertakes official contact tracing.
The district also starts its own contact tracing immediately. This includes examining classroom seating charts and bus seating. When videotape is available, staff also check whether people were masked and windows open. District staff then identify “close contacts”: people who spent at least 15 minutes within 6 feet of someone who tested positive for COVID-19.
The district communicates information about positive cases to the school community in two ways. A general notification that a positive case has been confirmed is sent to all district families and staff. Additionally, anyone determined to have been in close contact with the infected person receives a more detailed email, with specific information about the room or bus in which the contact occurred.
“We would rather our community know that there are instances of positive cases,” Palmer said, “as opposed to having people wonder what’s going on.”
Later in the meeting, school board member Marylin Huff noted that COVID rates are rising more quickly in nearby school districts like Springfield and Ridley. She asked how that affected the athletic programs’ attitude toward interscholastic competition.
Strath Haven High School Athletic Director Pat Clancy reported that no COVID transmission has been reported either through games or practices, although some athletes have tested positive. He said that his department has not set any particular cutoff point for suspending competition. “We feel comfortable with protocols at the other eleven schools” in the Central Athletic League, he said.
Clubs and Sports Returning to Middle School
Strath Haven Middle School Assistant Principal Steve Krall described what he called “small progressive steps” toward reintroducing both virtual and in-person clubs and athletics at the middle school. Many virtual clubs have already started meeting.
In-person activities slated to resume in early November include some music ensembles, robotics, Science Olympiad, co-ed flag football, and boys and girls soccer. “We are excited to get these groups back together,” Krall said. “Albeit in a bit of a modified version with safety precautions and social distancing in place.”
Parents Criticize Hybrid Model
For close to an hour during public comment, a parade of parents voiced concerns about the hybrid model, calling it “severely inadequate,” “chaotic,” and “unstable.” “The schedule is a joke,” stated parent Bob Kelly.
Several parents said their children’s grades and mental health were suffering. Noting that elementary and middle school students are getting two full days of in-person instruction, parents said their high schoolers deserve the same. They noted that lunch and transportation seemed to be the sticking points preventing full days at the high school and wondered why the district cannot find creative solutions.
Palmer agreed that lunch was the biggest obstacle and said that high school principal Greg Hilden is working on solutions. “All of the options he’s looking at have challenges,” she said. “But I don’t know that they’re insurmountable.” She promised to ask Hilden to keep the community informed about his progress.
In a follow-up email, Hilden noted that the day of the school board meeting was day 11 of the hybrid schedule. “Each and every day, we manage the day-to-day procedures of a high school operating in the midst of a pandemic, evaluate our procedures, and plan for future transitions.” He observed that state and federal mandates remain in place for schools, adding complications. “The potential obstacles to a full day return are real, and more complex than erecting a heated outdoor tent,” he wrote, adding, “There is also no way to turn a ship on a dime.”
Some parents praised district teachers for how hard they are working. Others complained that teachers did not seem to be working hard enough. Joan O’Brien cited Wednesdays, which have no synchronous class instruction. “Teachers are working four days a week,” she claimed, wondering whether they are still being paid full wages.
Board member Kelly Wachtman, who has two children in the high school, spoke strongly in defense of teachers. “I am not aware of a single teacher that is only working four days a week,” she said. “Our teachers are posting grades at 2:30 in the morning. They are working unbelievable hard. And they need our support.”
Following the meeting, Palmer sent an email to the school community explaining how district teachers use their time on Wednesdays. She indicated they support students one-on-one, develop curriculum, meet with colleagues, learn online instructional practices, improve technology skills, and answer emails.
Palmer’s email told the teachers, “I know many of you are working morning, noon, and night, and often well into the weekend.” She added, “I think our families should know this too.”
Screen Time Exhaustion
Board member Jennifer Lentz addressed the fatigue associated with copious screen time, particularly Zoom. She said she had calculated approximately how much screen time children in different grades have experienced since the beginning of the school year. “Our first graders have gotten about 103 hours of school-directed screen time,” excluding homework and asynchronous work; for high schoolers, she calculated the number as 113.
“We knew that screens and isolation were bad for kids before the pandemic,” she said, “and the pandemic has not changed it.” She acknowledged the risks of COVID-19 but said it was time to start discussing more seriously the problems of virtual school.
The next board meeting will be Monday, November 9, at 7 p.m. To watch it live or afterwards, go to WSSD’s YouTube Channel: swat.ink/wssd-youtube.
