By: Todd Bartley
Talkwilliamsport.com
Colossal failure happening in the WASD was the assessment delivered by assistant superintendent Dr. Susan Bigger, Tuesday evening at the WASD school board meeting held in-person at the WAHS auditorium.
According to data presented, the academic courses that are currently being failed at the high school level this marking period total 2,932 or 32%. At the mid-marking period assessment, the total was 2,968.
Remote learning only students accounted for 1,203 or 54% of the total failure number.
In the middle school, 3,199 academic courses are currently being failed.
According to WASD superintendent Dr. Timothy Bowers, “Williamsport remains one of only two school districts in the Intermediate Unit that is not back to five day per week in-person learning.”
Prior to the meeting this evening, the WASD sought input from parents in the district by sending out a survey seeking guidance on a possible return to five day per week in-person learning, a hybrid option or remote only learning.
By an overwhelming majority of the 3,044 households surveyed (79.6% response rate) in the WASD, 1,422 or 59.37% supported a return to five day per week in-person learning. Adding in the 135 households that would switch from the current hybrid to in-person learning brought the total to 1,557 respondents or 65%.
Those numbers apparently fell on deaf ears of four WASD board members who have shown a proclivity for ignoring the obvious in previous urgent matters before them.
After a nearly 90-minute discussion period on a possible return to five day per week in-person learning; a motion was made to take a vote.
As the roll call of board members was read, the final tally was 4-4, which meant the motion failed to gain a majority, so the status quo of hybrid learning remains in place.
Casting votes for five day per week in-person learning were Adam Welteroth, Marc Schefsky, Dr. Jane Penman and President Lori Baer.
Casting votes against five day per week in-person learning were Barbara Reeves, Nancy Somers, Patrick Dixon and Jennifer Lake.
Sigh….
WASD school board member Star Poole was absent.
After an additional period of discussion, a second vote was been taken by the WASD school board to return to 5-day in-person learning ending in a 4-4 draw again.
The three-day or more absence rate has exploded in the hybrid model.
- Grades K-4 rate stands at 416 compared to 40 for this same time last year an increase of 900%.
- Grades 5-8 rate stands at 270 compared to 35 for this same time last year an increase of 600%.
- Grades 9-12 rate stands at 507 compared to 42 for this same time last year an increase of 1,107%.
One of the board members noted that a group of 40 teachers begged not to go back to in-person learning.
Dr. Poole noted the district is already down 76 students from a year ago. There are 4,850 currently enrolled students. The reduction in student population occurred at the elementary level.
- K -90 students
- K-3 -94 students
- 4-6 -13 students
- MS -22 students
- HS +49 students with 365 seniors
WASD board member Nancy Somers, who voted no to returning to five day per week in-person learning suggested based on the science and the virus that “in-person learning should not happen until next year.”
Dr. Penman stated unequivocally, “hybrid is not working.”
Jennifer Lake prior to voting no to five day per week in-person learning asked the following question; “how do we reconcile six high school teachers quarantined? That is only going to increase.” Then she sighed.
The implication Lake is making is these teachers contracted the virus by interacting with students.
She did so, in the absence of any science.
WASD teachers and administrators have received uninterrupted full pay and benefits since the inception of the pandemic.
It was announced during the meeting the Lycoming County Commissioners had provided just under one million dollars of CARES Act funding to the WASD.
During the public comment portion of the meeting, Brad, an IT administrator and WASD parent voiced his displeasure with the “Schoolology” online learning platform currently deployed; “most parents are severely disappointed in the hybrid model. There are no links with Schoolology and it is flawed.”
In a scathing rebuke of the WASD school board and administration, he added, “the community at-large has not been involved in the process.” Noting a call to superintendent Dr. Bowers office, and getting this response from his secretary “hearing it is on the individual building principals.”
Ashley, another clearly upset WASD parent stated, “it is very frustrating the no votes have remained silent.”
Kelly, a WASD parent voiced concern over having to quarantine her child and mounting medical bills. Even with those concerns; “I want kids back in school five days.”
Anna Radspinner speaking as a teacher and on behalf of her husband and fellow teacher Matt Radspinner applauded the no voters, “for following the science and the virus.” She expressed fear about speaking in front of the board as a teacher.
The most compelling public comments of the night came from Stacy, a concerned WASD parent and former educator herself.
“Dr. Penman, thank you for being an advocate for our children. On the way here tonight, we noticed the big sign at the bottom of the hill that says BE PRESENT.
How can students do that when they are not allowed to BE PRESENT?
I feel my two sons are being cheated. We sold our house to be in this district six years ago, increased our taxes by three times.
We brag about how great the opportunities are in the WASD to all of our family and friends.
Starting last spring the teachers in my family went to remote learning and were shocked to learn that my boys had done nothing.
What was happening all summer?”
She revealed that at the high school level only one teacher in one class per week is “providing actual instruction.”
The rest of the time the students are doing assignments on their Chromebooks with the teacher going through them simultaneously.
Brandon Pardoe is the head principal at WAHS, he did not offer any comments at the meeting, nor did any of the individual building administrators.
WASD board member Adam Welteroth raised “concern of a mass exodus if a return to 5-day in-person learning does not occur quickly.”
Stacy, may have realized the fears of Welteroth when she closed her remarks by saying, “my husband and I are going to look into Commonwealth PA Cyber School since they have been doing remote learning the right way for a long time.”
A recurring theme of the night from the WASD administration was the “hybrid model learning curve has been very steep.”
Those that voted yes shared a common theme, “the cost of the lost years of learning to the WASD student population may be felt for generations if students are not brought back to the in-person instruction and soon.”
It appears the Williamsport Area School District cannot avoid one colossal failure after another.
