Despite an enduring moderate transmission of COVID-19 in McKean County, Bradford students will be able to continue in-person instruction for now.
Superintendent Katharine Pude said last week that if community spread reaches the moderate level for two weeks, schools are encouraged to move to a hybrid plan or a period of online learning.
On Monday, she said the county has experienced a moderate community spread for the past 14 days, but “The school district is not looking to implement a different learning model at this time and it is our hope that we will not need to alter it in the near future.”
That is because the transmission rate within the Bradford Area School District itself has not risen to a moderate rate, explained Superintendent Katharine Pude.
The district is looking at guidance by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and the Pennsylvania Department of Health in making decisions regarding the education model.
“PDE has created a recommendation for Instructional Models according to the level of community transmission in the county plus the number of students/staff and affected buildings with the district,” she said.
While the county is seeing moderate community spread, “We have not had any of our buildings have a level of spread that justifies moving to an online learning platform. While working with the Department of Health, we have been successful with quarantining students and staff for the requisite period of time after a positive Covid-19 contact and have successfully brought students/staff back into our buildings following the quarantine period.”
Since the start of the school year, the school district has reported three cases of COVID-19 students and employees.
Pude described the circumstances under which the learning model could change.
“Should community transmission remain moderate and Covid-19 begins to be more widespread within our buildings, the District would not have a choice except to move to an online model,” she said.
She talked about what a period of online instruction could look like and said that it would depend on what the spread of the virus looks like at that time.
“Hopefully, this would not require all schools moving to that model at the same time, but only the building(s) that is affected by the spread,” Pude said. “It would also be our hope that we would not be online for a lengthy period of time, but only until the spread has subsided and there is the possibility of a safe return to school.
“What is most worrisome, however, is if community transmission becomes substantial and spreads into our buildings, PDE and the DOH would recommend a full remote learning model for all schools in the county,” she continued. “Under these conditions it would not be as easy for us to transition back into in-person classes.”
Pude is hopeful the community will take the threat of the highly contagious disease seriously.
“It is critically important that we as a community take all necessary precautions to ensure that we do not spread the Covid-19 virus,” she said. “Not only can it be deadly to those with underlying conditions, but it can wreak havoc on our local health care system, our economy and our school system. By working together we can slow the spread and keep our community healthy.”
