Panther Valley School District is providing more information to parents about its plans to reopen for the 2020-21 school year - using YouTube.

The district is asking parents to decide this week whether their child will attend classes in-person or through the online Panther Valley Learning Academy.

To guide parents, each principal of schools in the district put out a YouTube video this week for parents with details on their plans for in-person and remote learning classes. The videos are available on the front page of the panthervalley.org website.

“We understand that families have a lot of uncertainty about the upcoming school year. We’re hoping that by keeping you constantly updated we can ease some of that anxiety and let you know what you can expect for the upcoming school year,” said Robert Palazzo, principal of Panther Valley Elementary School.

While there are many similarities, each school has different aspects to serve students of different grade levels.

Every student in grades K-12 will receive a Chromebook laptop, regardless of whether they attend in-person classes, or the district’s Panther Valley Learning Academy.

Students who choose the Panther Valley Learning Academy will be expected to work for approximately four hours, 30 minutes each day (five hours for senior high school students), and complete assignments in multiple subjects. Each day, students will be able to receive live instruction from a Panther Valley teacher in their grade level for approximately one hour.

The district has plans in place for in-person classes during the current “green” reopening phase, and the “yellow” phase in the event that there is an increase in the number of cases in Carbon County.

During the green phase, students would receive in-person instruction five days per week, five hours per day. In the yellow phase, in-person instruction would be limited to two days per week at half capacity, and desks spaced 6 feet apart.

Face coverings will be required in the building, unless a child has a documented medical condition. The district is planning on allowing additional items in the dress code, such as solid-colored T-shirts with no logo, and jeans.

In grades K-8, groups of students will remain together throughout the day, sitting in the same seating chart.

In both phases, parents will be called upon to perform pre-screening before they drop their child off at school or the bus stop. The district plans to provide families with pre-screening instructions. Staff will be performing spot checks when they arrive at school.

Students riding the bus to school will ride two per seat with families seated together, and face coverings required. Students must use the same bus stop in the morning and afternoon.

All students will be able to receive breakfast and lunch, but students at the intermediate and junior-senior high school will take their lunches home with them.

Students will be allowed to bring water bottles because the water fountains will not be available.

Parents are being asked to provide some additional school supplies on top of the normal list, because sharing supplies among students will be discouraged.

The schools are asking parents to provide the most updated contact information, including phone numbers and email addresses, so they can communicate if necessary.

At the intermediate and Junior-Senior High Schools, classes will rotate one at a time, so there’s no congestion in the hallway. No lockers will be in use, but students will be able to carry backpacks.

Teachers will wipe down desks and chairs and other surfaces between each class.

“Please know that the Panther Valley School District is committed to providing your child the best education in any format that you choose, along with a safe environment for their learning,” Intermediate School Principal Lisa Mace said.