Board Adjusts Calendar, Approves ‘Teaching Tolerance’
Board President David Grande presents the results of a WSSD survey about adjusting next year’s school calendar.
School in the Wallingford-Swarthmore School District will start one week earlier than originally planned. The school board hopes this modest but significant measure would mitigate effects of a second wave of the coronavirus by keeping people out of school buildings for longer periods this fall and winter.
At their June 22 meeting, the school board voted unanimously to change the first day of school for students to Monday, August 31. The first staff day will be August 24. This change permits Thanksgiving break to extend to a full week starting November 23, and winter break to two full weeks starting December 21.
More time at home may “break some chains of transmission,” according to board president David Grande, an associate professor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.
Experts from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia told the board last month that COVID-19 rates are projected to be lower in the summer, then surge in fall and winter.
Grande had hoped to start school at least two — and as many as four — weeks early to increase chances of more in-person school days before a possible second wave. But a survey of parents, teachers, and staff revealed that starting more than one week early would be a hardship for many.
Over 50% of teachers and staff who took the survey reported that starting two weeks early would be a major or moderate hardship. Fewer than 30% said starting one week early would be a hardship.
Many teachers and staff who did not want to return two weeks early cited concerns about preparation time, Grande reported. This is especially significant because they are being asked to teach in new ways. Respondents also mentioned disruption to pre-existing plans.
District families were more open to starting early. Close to 60% of family respondents favored or strongly favored starting school two weeks early, while just over 20% opposed or strongly opposed that option.
Over 1,500 family members and over 300 teachers and staff responded to the survey.
Teaching Tolerance
The anti-bias organization Teaching Tolerance will conduct a series of professional development workshops for WSSD teachers and staff next year, Superintendent Lisa Palmer announced.
The district will pay $6,500 for five trainings, including “Addressing Inequities at School” and “Social Justice Teaching 101.” Some sessions will include groups of 30 teachers who then serve as ambassadors to their colleagues, while others will include up to 80 teachers, administrators, and counselors.
Next Year’s Plans?
Two district committees are still working on instructional plans for 2020-21, Palmer reported. No final decision has been made about whether school will take place in-person, how many students would attend on-site classes if buildings were open, or scheduling.
The Planning Committee and the Infection Prevention Committee have been digesting information from the CDC, the Pennsylvania Department of Education, the Chester County Department of Health, and other agencies. But these bodies sometimes give conflicting advice, Palmer said. For example, some experts say students must stay six feet apart to prevent transmission of the coronavirus, while others deem three feet sufficient.
“At six-foot social distancing, we know we cannot bring everybody back into our buildings,” Palmer said.
The board will hold a special meeting on Monday, July 6, at 7 p.m., to share progress toward a decision about next year — “knowing that everything seems to be subject to change,” Palmer said.
2020-21 Budget
The board approved a final budget of $87,266,990 for the 2020-21 school year.
Just over $3 million of that amount, approximately 3.5%, will come from the district’s fund balance, Business Administrator Martha Kew told the board. In January, before the coronavirus pandemic, Kew had estimated that the district would need to draw only about $916,000 from the fund balance.
Local revenues will make up close to 77% of revenues, or about $67 million, Kew said. The state, which will fund education at the same level as in 2019-20, will pay just over 19%, approximately $17 million. The federal government will contribute 0.35%, approximately $303,000.
Kew called on residents to contact their legislators to request more school funding. Pennsylvania ranks 44th out of the 50 states in funding public education, she noted.
“Representatives and senators listen to their constituents,” Kew said. “The more contacts they receive on an issue, the more they recognize that this issue is important and must be addressed.”
Kew also spoke of the immense difficulties of forecasting expenditures under the current circumstances. “I doubt we will fully understand the ramifications of COVID-19 effects until we are far into the 2020-21 school year,” she said, adding, “My crystal ball and I aren’t on speaking terms anymore.”
Board member Kelly Wachtman asked Kew to address what she called a misperception that closed school buildings translate into substantial savings for the district.
Kew explained that fixed costs, like salaries and benefits, prevented significant savings this spring. The Pennsylvania state legislature’s recent Act 13 gave school districts some financial flexibility because of the pandemic, but mandated full payment of salaries and benefits. Kew noted that modest savings came from some areas, like substitute teachers.
The board also voted to change the school-tax payment schedule, giving residents more time to pay at the discounted early-payment rate. The deadline for face-rate (non-discounted) payment also has been extended, and the penalty period has been shortened. The new payment schedule is on the school board section of the WSSD website: swat.ink/school-board. (Go to “meetings,” then to the June 22 meeting link, then look for “view the agenda” and scroll down to “finance.”)
Retirements
Human Resources Director Ferg Abbott lauded the contributions of 20 retiring teachers and staff who have served the district for at least 20 years. The retirees are: Ana Fong, Ralph Harris, Candace Pirie, Mary Costello, Erminia Kubiak, Leslie Taylor, Kathleen Gemberling, Theresa McGeehan, John Lynch, James Hardy, MaryCharlotte Petras, Martha Lambertsen, Donna Ranere, Marcella Adams, Michele Rufo, Steve O’Keefe, Anita DiDomenico, Theodora Psitos, Kathy Laird, and Mark Taylor.
“That is 512 years of service,’’ Abbott said.
To view a video of this or any other WSSD school board meeting: swat.ink/school-board.
The board will hold a special meeting on Monday, July 6, at 7 p.m. Watch on WSSD’s YouTube Channel: swat.ink/wssd-youtube.
To make comments as part of school board meetings, call 610-892-3470, ext. 1102, and leave a phone message of no more than three minutes – before, during, or up until the end of the meeting. Phoned-in comments must include the commenter’s name, full address, and phone number.
