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Trinity latest district to go remote

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Trinity Area School District announced all district schools will move to remote learning on Dec. 1 as COVID-19 cases continue to soar in the region.

Students will learn remotely through Dec. 23, when Christmas break starts, and will resume in-person learning Jan. 4, 2021.

The decision is based on several factors, including recommendations from the state Department of Health and Department of Education.

The district – like schools across the region and throughout the country – also has had difficulty staffing schools for in-person learning.

“Currently, Trinity Area School District and other local schools are facing several new challenges to maintain full in-person instruction safely,” the district said in a statement to parents and staff.

According to Superintendent Dr. Michael Lucas, the staff has been depleted. On one day last week, 48 staff members weren’t able to work, and the district was able to get only 23 substitute teachers.

Staff members, principals, aides, support staff, secretaries and police officers are being used to supervise students in the classroom, and it’s having an impact on education.

Several teachers and staff are quarantining because of their exposure to a person who tested positive outside of the school community.

Several staff members with serious health concerns have been forced to take a leave of absence.

“While these teachers and staff prefer to be working, supporting our students at school, they are forced to be at home,” the letter said.

The transportation department also has been impacted because drivers are unavailable due to quarantining and illness, and the number of available drivers has decreased daily.

Another complication is the state travel band that requires staff members and students to quarantine for 14 days or provide a negative test if they travel outside of Pennsylvania during the holidays, which will impact student and staff attendance after Thanksgiving.

And, several staff members have had to take a leave of absence to care for their children as other local schools and day cares have closed or gone remote.

The departments of Health and Education both recommend districts move to full remote instruction because of the rising COVID-19 numbers in Washington County.

“This news is frustrating and disappointing because our mitigation techniques, procedures, and the efforts of our parents, students, and staff have been working,” the letter continued.

Students will attend in-person classes Monday and Tuesday, before working remotely on Wednesday.

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