WASD should be a leader in Lycoming and surrounding counties with education. After last night’s board meeting, we stand on the top of the hill with egg on our face! How can an administration, who has had months to create alternative plans based on the potential phases our schools could/would face in the fall present something as half-baked as their hybrid phase? To have our children attend two days a week with three days of remote learning isn’t ideal for all of us, but when that remote learning is archived videos and essentially busy work (actual verbiage was “independent reading and writing”) that is where the administration failed. Why can’t a district of our size provide a direct stream into a classroom for our students to continue learning five days a week? I understand there are parents who can’t have their younger children logged in to a direct stream because of work. In that sense, the archived videos work. What about our older students? The ones who are at home while parents/guardians are at work. They can absolutely log into a live stream and attend their school day as if they were in the building. As stated last night, we have juniors and seniors that will not be prepared for college or the workforce because our educational system has failed them.

The administration didn’t have any concrete plans on how the hybrid phase would work. Dr Bowers made the statement if the board said “no” to the hybrid phase he’d have to go back to his administration and tell them they needed to figure out how to get 5,000 kids into the buildings. What have you been doing? Two weeks ago, that was the plan approved for the parents that want their kids back to school in the buildings. Now you have no idea how you’d accomplish that?

I cannot fathom how a group of “highly educated” and (obviously overpaid) administrators couldn’t work out a plan for each potential phase. I’m not asking for a solid, no wiggle room, plan. As a taxpayer and parent of a high school student, I’m asking for a plan that actually has merit. A plan with a solid base that is manageable and accommodates all students at each level. My child won’t be prepared for college if this form of low-level education continues.

We as parents have other options. We can choose Cyberschool, which no district wants any parent to opt for, or private school. I’m not opposed to sending my child back to private school. Are the opportunities more abundant at WASD? They were, at one time. The hybrid phase with remote learning takes those opportunities to almost non-existent.

MICHELE BOYLES

Williamsport

Submitted via Virtual Newsroom