Life skills and autism support students will return to class in the Freeport Area School District, while all other students will continue to attend class remotely until Jan. 8. With the holiday break, that period contains 12 school days.

The school board held a special meeting by livestream Thursday evening to make several decisions related to the coronavirus pandemic mandates passed down by the state departments of Health and Education.

The board amended the current health and safety plan they have on file at the education department to instruct all students remotely, but bring students with individual education plans back to the school buildings as seen fit by Ian Magness, superintendent.

Magness said he will start with the life skills and autism support students and add IEP students if he feels it is necessary.

Magness said moving to remote instruction until Jan. 8 is necessary because of the more stringent orders recently mandated by the departments of Education and Health for school districts in areas with “substantial” levels of COVID-19 cases.

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Because of those orders from Harrisburg, Magness recommended continuing remote instruction until Jan. 8. “That gives us no pleasure to recommend,” Magness said. “Actually, it infuriates me that our society, our region, our state, our nation is where it is.”He said life skills and autism support students must wear masks and the schools will be shut down if COVID-19 cases begin to appear among the students or staff, as per the state guidelines.Solicitor Matt Hoffman explained that the state guidelines contain a formula for schools regarding the number of COVID-19 cases allowed according to the number of individuals in each school building.Magness said he understands that remote learning inconveniences the district's families, and that it has been an issue for his own family.Magness said another reason for his recommendation to continue remote learning is to avoid various schools in the district closing and reopening, which would create confusion for parents and cause the district to announce a school closure on the morning classes were to be held.Also, because of the school schedule, the 12 days of instruction will be pared down to 9.5 days in a remote learning scenario, Magness said.The vote to continue remote learning for all other students while life skills and autism support students return to school passed 6-3, with Christine Davies, Richard Hill and Frank Prazenica voting no.The board also approved a “return to play” plan for winter sports, with practices to be held beginning Monday for varsity and junior varsity sports only.Student athletes must wear masks as required by state mandates, and will practice in small groups in various gymnasiums, Magness said.If the season starts for a winter sport and games begin, no spectators from the visiting teams will be permitted and strict capacity limits required by the state will be followed.If no COVID-19 cases appear among JV or varsity athletes or coaches, practices for teams in grades seven through nine could be added in one week, Magness said.However, if a JV or varsity player tests positive, that sport would be shut down, he said.