Panther Valley will continue remote learning until Jan. 19 in the hopes of avoiding a spread of COVID-19 within the schools after the Christmas break.

Superintendent David McAndrew Jr. said in a letter to parents that with the holiday season, the district is working to help with minimizing any spread of the virus “by continuing the full remote learning model for two weeks after the Christmas holiday.”

“The objective of this two school week fully remote learning period after the Christmas break is to avoid a surge of community transmission and increase the chances that we can resume in-person learning,” McAndrew wrote on the school district website. “The state is encouraging everyone to minimize social gatherings during the holidays; however, we anticipate increased exposures in a time when local transmission rates are headed at an all-time high.”

McAndrew hopes that the extended remote learning period will allow the schools to return to in-person learning safely, while maintaining all health and safety protocols.

“Without question, the PVSD understands that the decision will have an impact on the families of our students,” McAndrew wrote. “We know it is a burden on families and cannot wait for our students to return safely. Our goal and belief is that this will be our last two weeks of full remote learning.”