Central Bucks School District has no plans to suspend in-class instruction, sports

Bob Brooks Image
Saturday, November 14, 2020
Central Bucks School District has no plans to suspend in-class instruction
Despite their 18,000 student enrollment, only 67 students total across the district have tested positive for COVID-19, Kopicki said.

WARRINGTON, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- It was game on at Central Bucks South High School Friday night.

The Central Bucks Titans played Neshaminy High School in their last game of the regular season.

But sports and in-person classes will continue as planned for the foreseeable future for the Central Bucks School District, the third-largest in the state.

The decision was confirmed by Superintendent Dr. John Kopicki, which resonated well with students and parents.

"I think the kids need to be back in school," said Matt Bendzlowicz of Warrington.

Olivia Coelho, who is a freshman, said, "I like to come into school, and be able to see people and have the instruction from the teachers."

It's a different story in Montgomery County, where the Board of Health voted Friday for all public and private K-12 schools in that county to halt in-person instruction and switch to virtual learning for two weeks beginning Nov. 23.

Health officials in Pennsylvania's third-most populous county ordered schools Friday to temporarily halt classroom instruction in what they said was an effort to contain the spread

Despite coronavirus cases climbing across the state, Kopicki says Central Bucks' model of safety is working.

With a student enrollment of 18,000, only 67 students total across the district have tested positive for COVID-19, Kopicki said.

"I'm actually pleased it seems like Central Bucks has the stomach for it," added Bendzlowicz.

Kopicki says after contact tracing, they found none of the students got COVID-19 in school.

John Coelho of Warrington said, "If we control that side of it, I think school is not going to be the issue. It'll be outside the school where the problem is."

Parents also said Friday virtual learning just isn't getting it done.

"Usually the kids are like, 'ah man, I can't wait for summer vacation.' My daughter was like 'I need to be back in school,'" said Bendzlowicz.

The students who spoke with Action News agree.

"(In virtual learning) we don't have the teachers right there, like helping us, and like instructing us," added Olivia Coelho.

The superintendent says this could change should cases spiral out of control.