At the special Whitehall-Coplay School Board meeting Aug. 5, emotions ran high as board members listened to the recommendations of school administrators for the best way to begin the 2020-21 school year.

Despite the administration’s recommendations for a hybrid approach to learning, a plan that was supported by the teachers association, the board instead voted 5-4 for students to return to school for in-person instruction with a virtual option.

Voting for a traditional return to school were George Makhoul, Nichole Hartman, Patty Gaugler, William Fonzone Sr. and Joseph Shields.

Members voting against the model were Wayne Grim, William Leiner Jr., George Williams and Tina Koren, all of whom voted in favor of a blended option.

Just five days after the board vote, the state offered its recommendations regarding school openings, suggesting districts in Lehigh and Northampton counties start the year either fully online or with a blended/hybrid method that combines in-person and remote learning.

“This process has been incredibly emotional,” Christopher Schiffert, assistant to the superintendent, said. “It has caused fear, anxiety and uncertainty in my heart and in my brain. I can never remember a time in my career where I felt this way.

“No decision seems to be right, and I think that it is not an understatement to say that we all are risking lives,” he said. “That is the bottom line when we talk about returning to school with a lot of people.”

Schiffert asked the board and public, who attended the meeting virtually, to remember that neither he nor the administration are experts on pandemics and none are qualified to be making the decisions being asked of them.

Although he wants to reopen fully, Schiffert said he sometimes wonders how schools can open safely at all.

“I know this virus does not work on any type of a schedule, and I don’t think it ceases to exist just because there are mitigation strategies in place,” he said.

Schiffert said there is no way to guarantee anyone’s safety and he couldn’t live with himself if a student or staff member would be lost to COVID-19.

“It’s a collective burden for all of us as a school community,” he said.

Schiffert said a lot of work, research, guidance and experience led WCSD administration to the decision a hybrid approach would be in the best interest of students and staff.

“We recognize our survey results show that many who responded prefer a full return. However, once we factor in the choice of a blended model, that number does start to change a lot,” Schiffert said. “When we weigh those factors, we do, again, feel that a full return is probably a great risk.”

Prior to the vote, Whitehall High School Assistant Principal Gabriel Dillard presented the findings of the return to school intent questionnaire that was emailed to parents July 24. On the survey, parents were asked to select from a traditional five-days-per-week model with social distancing and masks, learning from home while interacting with assigned teachers or online learning through the Whitehall-Coplay Virtual Learning Program.

WCSD received 3,591 responses, representing 78 percent of the current district enrollment. Families of 2,206 students chose the traditional model, 1,153 picked home learning and 232 opted for virtual. The families of 1,014 students did not respond to the survey and were added to the number of students preferring a traditional return to school on the final data.

Parents were also asked if they would prefer a blended model - two days in school and two days online, with one day for asynchronous online learning for all students. Families of 1,642 students chose the blended approach.

With this approach, students with a last name starting with A through L would attend in person Mondays and Tuesdays and participate in synchronous and asynchronous learning Thursdays and Fridays. Students with a last name starting with M through Z would attend school Thursdays and Fridays, with online instruction Mondays and Tuesdays. Wednesdays would be used for asynchronous online instruction, office hours, small groups, IEP meetings and remediation enrichment.

For WCSD as a whole, the survey found that without a blended mode offered, 6.5 percent of students would prefer virtual learning, 32.1 percent would opt for online home learning and 61.5 percent would choose the traditional model.

The results of the district intentions with the blended option were 4.3 percent for virtual learning, 18.2 percent for online home learning, 31.6 percent for the traditional model and 45.8 percent for the blended approach. Data from the blended model suggests 571 more students would be physically in the classroom.

After communicating with 34 parents, board member George Makhoul expressed concerns about the blended data, due to confusion he said arose when parents were completing the survey and didn’t understand questions about the hybrid option. Makhoul said the parents he spoke with thought the choices were between the hybrid and virtual models and that there are more families who want the traditional model than the questionnaire results suggest. In order for the blended model results to be valid, Makhoul said WCSD would have to ask parents to choose between four choices, including the hybrid option.

Dillard responded by saying parents called and came to the buildings seeking clarification on the survey, and several families changed their original responses after gaining a better understanding of their options.

After the administration conducted an analysis to determine ways to reduce the financial impact, they found a blended learning option would cost less than traditional. For example, the 6.5 percent of students who chose the Whitehall-Coplay Virtual Learning Program would add $974,400 to the cost of the 2020-21 school year, because the program costs an additional $4,200 per student.

According to Dillard, of the 232 students who selected virtual learning without a hybrid option, 72 of those answered yes to blended learning, potentially saving the district $302,400.

When adding nonresponders to the numbers of those selecting the traditional approach, it broke down to 3.5 percent for virtual, 14.2 percent for home learning, 35.7 percent for blended and 46.7 percent for the in-person approach.

The results for WHS without a hybrid model included 6.4 percent selecting virtual, 29.6 percent for home learning and 63.9 percent for traditional. With the blended option included, 4.3 percent chose virtual, 16.4 percent picked home, 29.4 percent wanted traditional and 50 percent selected blended. When adding nonresponders, virtual was 3.5 percent, home was 13.4 percent, blended was 40.9 percent and traditional was 42.2 percent.

WHS Principal Nate Davidson presented his concerns about a full return to school and the logistics of adhering to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, including keeping students 3 feet apart with masks; awkward placements of desk; angles of the seats, making it difficult to see the teacher; teachers instructing in a limited space at the front of the room to ensure social distancing from students; limited mobility for teachers, co-teachers and paraprofessionals; blocked access to cabinets, classroom storage and pencil sharpeners due to placement of desks; lack of a defined path for entering and exiting the classroom; and the need to eliminate three seats around any students unable to wear a mask, reducing the amount of space in the classroom.

WHS students will no longer be dismissed by the bell and instead will be following a block schedule; directional hallways will be used; dismissal times will be staggered; lunch will be spread out over multiple spaces; some classroom spaces will be reassigned; there will be an attempt to limit class sizes; and face covering guidelines will be established.

Davidson said opening at a 70- to 75-percent attendance rate brings concerns. Photos of WHS hallways on an ordinary day were displayed, raising questions about student movement between classes that could prevent social distancing.

Staggered dismissal times would aid the situation, but students would still be moving in large groups while leaving one class and heading to another.

WHS administration felt the hybrid model would lower the number of students traveling between rooms and assist with supervision.

On July 31, the due date for parent questionnaires, another obstacle was thrown into the mix as Lehigh Career & Technical Institute announced the decision to opt for a hybrid model.

Additional students who would normally be at LCTI for the day created the need for two more lunch periods in order to accommodate the 215 students who would remain at WHS. LCTI students would necessitate extra instructional space and require additional instructors in order to supervise 50-75 students per session, so they can complete the remote learning portion of their LCTI work. On Wednesdays, an additional 160 students for each session would need to be accommodated.

WHS would also face difficulty providing space and an instructional setting for the Academic Center and CAP students to learn remotely when not at LCTI. Busing could present a potential problem as well.

Davidson also said construction projects at WHS have limited the ability of staff to prepare for reopening, as they have been unable to access many of the rooms. The drafts and calculations presented to the board were done with paper and pencil, rather than arranging rooms in-person based on different scenarios as the middle and elementary schools were able to do.

Similar recommendations from Whitehall-Coplay Middle School Principal Angela Friebolin were made regarding a hybrid versus traditional return to school including awkward desk placement that would put the front row of students 4 feet from the board, as well as significantly restricted movement around the classroom and decreased visibility.

According to Friebolin, many of the issues surrounded lunch periods, when the social distancing requirement of 6 feet must be maintained. All areas of the cafeteria would need to be utilized to accommodate 115 students; the time to serve food for each lunch would double because there would only be room for one lunch line; supervision would be reduced since administration and security would need to stay in one area of the room; and hallways would be crowded when students walk to the cafeteria, gym or multipurpose room for lunch.

There are also doubts there will be adequate supervision in hallways, bathrooms and the three lunch sites, and fights can be a common occurrence with older students.

Friebolin then compared the traditional return to the blended model, stating the traditional approach would necessitate three or four dining locations, as opposed to two. She said it would be difficult for all students to get through the lunch line, to their seats, eat and clean up in under 30 minutes, which would also make it harder to sanitize in between groups.

Friebolin also worried about students who cannot wear face coverings, pointing out that if even one or two students do not wear a mask, WCMS may have nowhere to place them. Also addressed was the narrow stairwells and rerouting all foot traffic to be one way, which would mean all stairwells would have to be used and supervision would be reduced.

Gockley Elementary Principal Denise Saylor, Steckel Elementary Principal Cora Snyder and Zephyr Elementary Principal Terri Miller presented their findings to the board. Elementary school concerns included spacing in hallways, classrooms and cafeterias, supervision issues, special activities, recess, bathroom use, busing and mask requirements.

According to the presentation, the traditional model would limit instructional opportunities, and students would need to remain at their desks all day, using Chromebooks much of the time.

Administrators were uncertain how younger students would handle wearing masks all day and argued that the blended model would allow mask breaks, individualized instruction and small groups and permit teachers to help students while social distancing.

The current cafeteria plan for the elementary schools involves adding an additional lunch period, costing the district $172,951.48 for the 2020-21 school year.

Gockley Elementary’s plan utilizes the gym and cafeteria for lunch and adds a fifth lunch period, with the library, art, music and STEM rooms being used if needed.

Steckel Elementary would also use the gym and cafeteria and would add a fourth lunch period. The art rooms, library and PIT would serve as dining areas if needed.

At Zephyr Elementary, students would eat in the gym, cafeteria and all classrooms and would have a fourth lunch period, with the library and LGI room used to accommodate any overflow. The library secretary, instructional paraprofessionals and cafeteria monitors would be used to aid in supervision of students.

Elementary principals expressed concerns that carrying lunch trays to different parts of the building could cause issues, sanitizing of lunch areas would be difficult between periods and taking math and reading intervention and special education paraprofessionals out of the classroom to help with lunches would affect the students who need them.

There would be less instructional time to permit staggering of classes to and from the cafeteria and longer lunch lines. Special subjects would be affected by limited space, shared supplies would need to be sterilized between uses, there would be fewer recesses with reduced times and bathroom breaks and the time required for proper hand washing would present a challenge for teachers.

As a whole, WCSD administration recommended the blended model, stating this would make school safer for students and staff, increase the effectiveness of instruction, allow for mask breaks and increased social distancing, allow teachers to help individual students, utilize small group instruction, permit more chances for activity-based learning and allow teachers to help students better handle the social and emotional effects of the pandemic.

The blended model would allow consistent seating on buses, with students sitting two to a seat, give students an adjustment period for the first marking period, help prevent the spread of illness, permit more flexibility and make supervision, cleaning and sanitizing easier.

Financial impacts were also a concern for the traditional model, including $40,000 needed for extra furniture, plastic glass, PPE and more cleaning staff; $35,000 for five monitors to help with supervision during lunches; $170,000 for added lunch periods for elementary students; and $450,000 for substitutes. The administration stated an additional $995,00 in extra funds for the 2020-21 school year would be required for the traditional approach.

Board President Wayne Grim said public participation questions would not be responded to during the meeting and instead would be gathered and answered as soon as possible.

The answers can be viewed at whitehallcoplay.org/cms/lib/PA50000018/Centricity/Domain/4/Public%20Participation%20from%20Committee.pdf.

When it came time for the board’s final vote on the return to school model, tensions quickly rose between those for and against the traditional option.

Board member George Williams stated he believed in making his decision based on the advice of those working in the education field and voted against a traditional return to school in support of the administration.

“I agree with what the teacher’s union said and what the administration said, and unfortunately, we have to make a decision tonight, so let’s go with the experts,” board member Tina Koren said.

Hackett requested the board add language from the original motion, which gave the superintendent discretion over “determining a modified model in the event there is insufficient staffing to operate schools on a consistent basis.” The request was approved.

Makhoul presented a motion for all schools to return to the traditional model with the option for online learning, with Joseph Shields seconding the motion.

“I want the board to understand the conditions that have been conveyed to you as far as the safety and security of our buildings and the amount of spacing that we can logistically support - it will not be at the 6 feet spacing level,” Hackett told the board. “I’d also like to reiterate one more time that I am very concerned about staffing our buildings and the health and welfare of our staff, as well as our students.”

Board member William Leiner Jr. disagreed with the traditional model as well.

“We are going to engage in an experiment with the children of the district and the teachers and the other staff when we have the opportunity to slow it down a little bit. Wait till the first marking period is over,” he said. “I just can’t fathom a disregard for safety.”

Board member Patty Gaugler asked what would happen to children who attend day care and presented concerns that instructional time would be lost if they couldn’t accomplish assignments while parents were at work.

Barbara Chomik, director of curriculum and instruction at WCSD, suggested students could opt for the Whitehall-Coplay Virtual Learning Program, which would allow them to complete work on their own schedule.

Makhoul stated his opposition to the blended model, saying more than 50 percent of students enrolled at WCSD are on the free or reduced lunch plans and many come from homes not conducive to online work.

“There are a lot of families who have a very large disadvantage in their home, whether it’s single-parent homes, that parents have to work, they could be living with multiple people,” Makhoul said.

According to Makhoul, the hybrid option would put a large demographic at a greater disadvantage because they won’t be able to get the help they need. Makhoul also believes the blended model would result in cross-contamination as more children attend day care with students from outside WCSD.

Koren said her concerns are not only for the students but for the teachers as well, and if they get infected, there will be no one to teach.

Whitehall-Coplay Education Association President Andrew Simock addressed the board and said 30 percent of WCSD staff chose the hybrid model, 28 percent chose the traditional and 42 percent wanted online.

Simock said that 33 percent of staff are considered high risk, due to age, personal health issues or pre-existing conditions. He said 18 percent of staff are considering a medical sabbatical or other leave, and if the district opts for the traditional model, the percentage is closer to 25 percent.

In order for staff to feel safe in returning to work, they want the district to agree to a model that allows social distancing of 6 feet, smaller class sizes and a proper allotment of time for sanitizing classrooms and the building.

Leiner said it was too soon for students to go back in a traditional setting.

“There’s so much we don’t know about this virus. We don’t know what the long-term effects are on children and also adults,” he said, suggesting a hybrid approach would be the safest way for students to begin the year.

Shields was concerned about the quality of education students participating in home learning would receive, citing the data presented at the end of the 2019-20 school year that showed low numbers and percentages of students’ completion of school work. Hackett agreed that it was a valid concern but said the new home-learning program is more similar to an in-person experience than the previous online program.

The approved traditional model is only valid for the first marking period.

A special board meeting will be held 5 p.m. Aug. 13 to review WCSD’s revised sports plan. If new information is presented at that time or if a staffing deficit would occur, the board members could bring a new motion to the floor for a vote.