amollenauer@altoonamirror.com
The Altoona Area School Board unanimously voted Thursday to send students back to a full-time, in-person learning model starting March 15.
At its special meeting Thursday, just two parents addressed the board, but their message was powerful.
“I really urge you,” one mother of two high school seniors said, “please vote to bring them back.”
The other parent, a mother of two elementary students, was visibly emotional. She said virtual learning simply isn’t working.
“They don’t even enjoy being at home anymore,” she said through tears. “It’s a struggle to get them to do these videos. Please, let them come back.”
amollenauer@altoonamirror.com
The Altoona Area School Board voted 5-4 to renew Superintendent Charles Prijatelj’s contract, extending his employment through the end of July 2024.
Prijatelj’s current salary is $176,800, and an increase for the first year of his contract will be contingent on his evaluation.
Voting in favor of renewing Prijatelj’s contract were board Vice President Dr. Frank Meloy, Mike Baker, Dave Francis, Rick Hoover and Ron Johnston. Votes against were from board President Sharon Bream, Eric Haugh, Kelly Irwin Adams and Ed Kreuz.
Prijatelj became the district’s superintendent in 2016 after serving as superintendent of the Tuscarora School District for three years. He will begin his three-year extension on Aug. 1.
amollenauer@altoonamirror.com
The Altoona Area School Board voted 7-2 on Tuesday to transition all students to a hybrid model, with elementary students beginning Feb. 8 and secondary students on the 16th.
The hybrid model will break students into groups A and B, with A meeting in-person Monday, Wednesday and every other Friday, and B meeting Tuesday, Thursday and every other Friday.
Special education students will return full time and in-person Feb. 8, and all teachers will report on-site the same day.
All students will return full time and in-person after two weeks of the county positivity rate staying in the “low range.”
amollenauer@altoonamirror.com
The Altoona Area School Board on Tuesday scheduled a special meeting for 6 p.m. Jan. 26 to revisit a return to school plan.
That meeting will be a working session where a new motion is anticipated regarding whether to send students back.
On Thursday, the board voted 5-4 to remain on a virtual learning model until two weeks after the first round of staff and teacher vaccinations.
It remains unclear when these vaccinations will take place, and in the meantime, some parents are upset by the prospect of their children continuing to miss out on the opportunity to learn in-person.