Third Wave Of Philadelphia Public School Students Return To Classroom, 22 More Schools To Reopen For In-Person Learning April 5
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - A third wave of Philadelphia public school students are headed back into the classroom Monday. Thirty-five more schools are welcoming students back as part of the district's hybrid learning plan.
It's been over a year since students and staff have been in classrooms. And as they return, some guidance from the CDC is changing.
About 9,000 students in pre-kindergarten through second grade will be back to hybrid, in-person learning two days a week. Their return comes as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updates its guidance on social distancing. On Friday, they released three new studies that say three feet of social distancing in classrooms might be appropriate.
"If there is going to be a change we will meet with the administration to discuss these changes," Jerry Jordan, President of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers, said.
The previous guidance was for students to be six feet apart in classrooms. It's a topic Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley says he's reviewing.
"I would say in general, I have a very high opinion of the CDC and whatever guidance they're saying I will go with," Farley said.
The school district also says they are reviewing the findings. Schools have been back for three weeks and Mayfair Elementary School has already been shut down because of an outbreak. They won't be returning until at least April 1.
Dr. Farley says to not be alarmed.
"There will be cases in schools, clusters in schools, spreads in schools. We have procedures for recommending that schools quarantine a group of students or a classroom, or in some cases an entire school," Farley said.
The school district announced they will open 22 more schools for in-person learning on April 5.
The 22 schools are:
- Add B. Anderson School
- William C. Bryant School
- Laura H. Carnell School
- Watson Comly School
- Lewis Elkin School
- Fox Chase School
- John Hancock Demonstration School - Main Campus
- Henry C. Lea School
- Mastery Charter School at Cleveland (PreK)
- Mastery Charter School at Wister (PreK)
- Austin Meehan School
- Thomas Mifflin School
- Andrew J. Morrison School
- Thomas G. Morton School
- Samuel Powel School
- Prince Hall School
- James Rhoads School
- George W. Sharswood School
- Allen M. Stearne School
- Bayard Taylor School
- Laura W. Waring School
- Martha Washington School
