Gateway offering parents three plans for return to school

MONROEVILLE, Pa. — Parents in the Gateway School District have to decide how they want to send their kids back to school in the fall – either on a hybrid schedule or one of two virtual options.

“We want them to feel welcome. We want them to trust what we’re doing,” Superintendent William Short said.

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Under the hybrid schedule, students would be broken up into two groups in order to reduce the number in the classroom. Each group would attend class in the school building two days per week and have online instruction the other three days a week.

If families choose the hybrid option, parents would have to screen their children before they come to class, and they will be required to wear a mask while in school all day. The district also bought shields for each of its 3,300 students.

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Desks are being separated by six feet and rooms would be equipped with hand sanitizer.

Classrooms would also be sanitized each day.

Lunch would be grab-and-go style with pre-packaged food.

“It’s not only the academic experience but school provides so many different things for students that its essential that we get them back here as soon as possible,” Short said.

The other two options for parents are a fully virtual program taught by Gateway teachers or the Gateway Cyber Academy, which is not taught by Gateway teachers.

Short said the Gateway teachers have stepped up tremendously.

Channel 11 reached out to Grant Sample, president of the Gateway Education Association.

“I think a team of every stakeholder should be involved in the planning to be as proactive as possible and continually involved throughout the school year as things change daily or even hourly,” he said in a statement.

Gateway’s first day is set for September 8.

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