There’s an old Yiddish expression: “Man plans and God laughs.”

That adage couldn’t be any truer right now. On any given day, you’ll find stories in the Eagle on plans to reopen during the coronavirus pandemic. Wait a week and you’ll find stories on how those plans have been thwarted or changed.

This should come as no surprise. The pandemic is an ever-changing calamity, and it’s difficult to return to business as usual as regional numbers of COVID-19 cases fluctuate.

In Friday’s Butler Eagle, there was a story about coaches, athletes and parents being frustrated by Gov. Tom Wolf’s recommendation that fall sports be pushed back to Jan. 1.

There was another about Butler Area School District crafting contingency plans should the region go from being in the green phase on emergency back to the yellow phase.

And there was another about Slippery Rock University only offering takeout options at its dining hall and on-campus eateries this fall.

And those were the stories on just one day.

Glimpse back through the past five months and you’ll see story after story about canceled events and closed businesses.

We know for parents, athletes, students, teachers and everyone else involved, this entire exercise is frustrating.

We feel for the athlete who has been prepping all summer for a fall sport, only to be left in limbo.

We sympathize with young students eager to get back into the usual routine with their classmates and parents who are trying to figure out their work schedule based on whether their child will be in school or at home.

Ultimately, however, safety is the priority — and it’s what is informing decisions across the county. While districts are trying to figure out their plans, they’re receiving pressure from all sides, and everyone is trying to do their best juggling educational needs with safety measures.

So, until this gets sorted out, try to have patience. Coming up with backup plans to anticipate the contingency plans being prepared by school districts is a good idea. Nobody likes having to do this, but we’re all in the same boat.

We hope athletes get the fall sports season they deserve, and that students will soon see a return to normalcy.

In the meantime, raise your voice if you believe your school district’s plan seems unreasonable, but know that all county districts are trying to put together plans in a constantly changing environment.

— NCD