Wilkes-Barre Area students will have choice between in-person or remote learning

WILKES-BARRE — Wilkes-Barre Area School District students will have a choice between learning from home and learning in school when classes resume.

At Monday night’s board meeting Superintendent Brian Costello gave a broad outline of the plan for when students return, which will be finalized in the next several weeks.

That news came the same night the district passed a final budget with no tax increase.

With enough Chromebook computers available for every student, the district plans to offer a hybrid program in which students who want to attend in person would do so while those who wanted virtual sessions could remain home, Costello explained.

Attendance would be required in either case, and students who would be in a specific class in person at a specific time would have to sit in via computer at the same time.

Costello also announced plans to hold graduations for all three high schools at 5 p.m. in the stadium, with social distancing, on July 20, 22 and 24.

Budget passed

Wilkes-Barre Area School Board passed a final budget Tuesday night with no tax increase, sticking to the preliminary final budget passed last month that keeps property taxes at 18.4332 mills. A mill is a $1 tax for every $1,000 of assessed property value.

The budget spends just under $127.9 million and takes in almost $125 million, leaving a $2.9 million shortfall that can be covered with a $5.4 million fund balance.

Costello also gave an extensive report on the progress of the new consolidated high school in Plains Township, showing aerial views of several sections fully covered and ready for roofing.

Construction project

The board also approved $180,010 in change orders for the ongoing construction of the new high school. The biggest expense is to Stell Enterprises for three changes in site preparation totaling $111,606.

Of that, $69,954 is for work not actually on the site of the school. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has required various improvements of nearby roads that will serve as access to the school, and some required work along Main Street ran into “unsuitable soil” that needs to be replaced.

Michael Krzywicki from Apollo Inc., the district project manager, said the soil was too sandy and wet to compact and had to be replaced. The work was complicated when they found a fiber optic line and a gas line and had to avoid disturbing them, driving up the cost.

The other two change orders for Stell were to run a spare conduit from the school kitchen to outside the road that loops around the campus, at a cost of $29,555. Wendolowski said the move was made to help with any future expansion on the 77 acre site, so ground won’t have to be torn up to lay conduit. District officials have suggested a stadium in front of the school. Stell also got $12,097 for additional inlet, pipe and geogrid work.

The other change orders were $21,248 to Everon Electrical Contractors for some door and pool drain system modifications; $39,352 to Quandel for pool drain modification, two more rows of seating to the movable bleaches in the gym, and other modifications; and $7,802.67 to Duggan and Macron for spray fireproofing 16 steel columns and some added form framing.

Krzywicki said the drain modifications were prompted by state Department of Environmental Protection. The original plan was to drain into a basin on the property where it could sit until chlorine was reduced, but DEP nixed that idea. The new system will pump drained water into the sanitary sewer system, but will use a special plump moving it more slowly to avoid overwhelming the school’s system.

Krzywicki said there is ample money in a contingency fund that started at more than $5 million, and that at this point he’s expecting up to $3.5 million to remain unspent in the fund when the project is done.

Sports guidelines

The board also approved a six-page set of guidelines for sports practices in July in the restarting sports activities while complying with safety mandates caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. It includes home pre-screening of athletes via confidential questionnaires, small groups of no more than 20 and often fewer depending on the sport and situation. At the suggested of Board Member Terry Schiowitz, the policy was amended to encourage — but not require — returning athletes get tested for the virus if possible.

No spectators are allowed through July and no scrimmages can be held. When asked about spectators, Athletic Director Michael Namey said a plan is being devised, depending on state restrictions. As things stand, he said, crowds would be restricted to 25 percent of capacity. Athletes cheerleaders and other students involved in any event would get two tickets, with a limited number of remaining tickets sold to students and “an extremely limited number” then made available to the public.

Retirements

And the board approved a long list of retirements, including Principal Michael Elias and longtime secretary to the Superintendent Patricia Wallace — who received high praise from multiple board members and Costello. Sixteen others, including 14 teachers, will be retiring. Costello said he does not expect to replace the teachers. The board also approved giving the retirement incentive of one-half annual salary to 20 retirees.