Gettysburg Area School District Assistant Superintendent Christine Lay reported Monday that about 30 percent of families who responded to a recent survey said they would be taking advantage of one of the two online-only options offered by the district rather than sending their children to school.
About three-quarters of these families will choose the online option taught by GASD faculty and most of the rest will enroll in the GASD Virtual Academy (GAVA). A small proportion of students will receive home schooling or use other options.
The district said 1,276 out of approximately 1,700 families had currently completed the survey.
Lay said the GASD online program would be taught in grades K-5 by a single teacher for each child but that in grades 6-12 instruction would come from a combined team of teachers.
Lay said the number of families choosing GASD online might create a problem in providing instruction and that enrollment in the program might need to be capped.
Summer Student Support Center
Lay also said the YWCA Gettysburg & Adams County will be operating a student support center for students in grades 6-9 to provide assistance in virtual learning during the fall semester.
The center will be open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and will be held at the Foursquare Church, 328 W. Middle St., Gettysburg.
Lay said that “through the generosity of community partnerships,” the program will be offered to students at no cost through the first semester.
Lay said the church will be seeking financial support through a GoFundMe page.
Lay said staff and tutors will be on site and that meals will be provided for the students.
District to Borrow $25 Million
The board unanimously voted to issue a bond for $25 million to cover the cost of the new HVAC system at the high school. The board said they had already committed to that project and that it needs to be done.
The board acted now on the advice of consultants who said rates are currently very low and that it was a good time to move forward. The expected interest rate on the bond will be less than two percent.
The projected cost of the HVAC project is $24 million but board president Kenneth Hassinger said money that isn’t used can be rolled over to other projects.
The board announced that future meetings will remain at the Middle School Auditorium until further notice.
The next board meeting will be on Tuesday Sept 9 at 7:00 p.m..
Charles (Chuck) Stangor is Gettysburg Connection's Owner, Publisher, and Editor in Chief. I would like to hear from you. Please contact me at cstangor@gettysburgconnection.org.