The Wissahickon School District in Montgomery County has taken a rare approach to the start of the new school year with full, in-person learning for all families who desire it, writes Maria Panaritis for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Those who prefer to stay home receive virtual instruction. Only the higher grades were given a virtual-only option due to staffing shortages that the district is still trying to resolve.

“It’s going great so far, actually,” said Wissahickon Superintendent James Crisfield. “I went to one of our elementary schools the first day, and it looked like the normal first day: joy and anticipation and angst.”

One of the major reasons why the school district could choose to implement this option is its strong tax base that serves around 5,000 students. The district also had relatively new facilities and enough financial reserves to compensate for any costs that were not anticipated in the budget to put the in-class plan in place.

Additionally, with four out of 10 families in the district opting for learning from home, there is ample space to create about six feet of social distancing among students.

Read more about the Wissahickon School District in The Philadelphia Inquirer by clicking here.

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