Coronavirus Pandemic Pennsylvania Education

Philly schools plan to dramatically scale down virtual learning after MLK day

This week, more than 100 district schools were virtual because of staffing shortages during the omicron surge. Next week, just eight are on the list.

Sophia Schmidt

January 14, 2022

Roosevelt Elementary School is one of the few district schools planning to extend virtual learning. (Bas Slabbers for WHYY)

The School District of Philadelphia plans to dramatically scale down virtual learning next week, though that could change based on updates over the long Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend.

This week, more than 100 district schools were virtual because of staffing shortages during the omicron surge, with more than a third of city schools lacking an in-person option.

Next week, though, just eight of more than 200 schools are planned to be virtual.

District officials have been under pressure from the unions representing teachers and principals to go fully virtual until omicron wanes, citing staff shortages and logistical problems at schools that have remained open.

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Parents and teachers have been on both sides of the debate, with many lamenting the last-minute nature of the district’s decisions.

The list of the eight schools planned as of Friday evening for virtual the week of Jan. 17 is as follows:

Allen M. Stearne School
Delaplaine McDaniel School
Gateway To College (CCP is virtual until mid-Feb)
Joseph Pennell School
Northeast High School EOP (virtual thru Jan. 22 as recommended by PDPH)
Northeast High School (virtual thru Jan. 22 as recommended by PDPH)
Ombudsman Northwest Accelerated
Roosevelt Elementary School

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