Northampton Area School District expects to return to the hybrid system of education by Jan. 11, 2021. However, parents, guardians and NASD staff are urged to be on the alert for emails and possible video chats from NASD administration during the winter break should reopening plans change.

There have been 120 reported COVID-19 cases among students in the district since the start of the academic year, including 17 new cases reported Dec. 16, 18, 21 and 22 in letters sent to parents, guardians and staff.

“Our plan is to return to the hybrid model as of Jan. 11,” NASD Superintendent of Schools Joseph S. Kovalchik said. “We will continue to monitor the COVID situation over the Christmas break.”

If there are changes to the Jan. 11, 2021, return to hybrid teaching, an announcement will be made.

School board Vice President Chuck Frantz chaired the board meeting in the absence of President David Gogel. The other seven school directors were in attendance from their homes. To adhere to Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf’s COVID-19 restrictions, eight people were physically in attendance at the Dec. 21 school board meeting in the Northampton Area Middle School cafeteria, including school officials and two members of the media.

To comply with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and commonwealth coronavirus protocols, especially social distancing, meetings were moved from the NASD administration building meeting room to the NAMS cafeteria

Kovalchik said he expects the next board meeting, 6:30 p.m. Jan. 11, 2021, to be held in the NAMS cafeteria with school board members attending in person.

The second marking period for NASD secondary schools concludes Jan. 21, 2021.

Kovalchik said during the last week of school before the Dec. 14 shutdown of in-person classes, there were 70 NASD staff members quarantined because of COVID-19. That number has increased to 100.

“We have more staff members who are in quarantine, either because they were exposed or in proximity to someone who was exposed,” Kovalchik said.

NASD has a staff of approximately 650 people.

Kovalchik noted the administration expects the preliminary 2021-22 budget to be presented Jan. 11, 2021.

“We’re not going to have any precise numbers. I don’t see us making any decisions before mid-June,” Kovalchik said.

School boards must approve district budgets by June 30.

Because of the COVID-19 restriction orders, there have been no practices for the NASD winter sports of wrestling, swimming and boys and girls basketball. The practices are to resume Jan. 11, 2021.

Kovalchik reiterated the in-person class shutdown was the result of a combination of staff shortages, a surge in COVID-19 cases and challenges of running the hybrid system of in-person and online classes, the latter for which more students have signed up.

In closing remarks at the last meeting of 2020, Frantz thanked the administration and fellow school board members for their dedication during the COVID-19-impacted 2020.

“I hope we have it a lot better in 2021,” Frantz said.

“This year, the school board made 436 decisions,” Kovalchik said. “I appreciate your cooperation, collaboration and questions because it takes all of us to move the district forward. Hopefully, in 2021, we can get back on track.”