Parents from the Mars Area School District show their support for teachers Friday outside the district offices along Route 228. While all schools are struggling to educate students during the coronavirus pandemic, Mars Area is also in the middle of contract negotiations.

Reacting to the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the county, school districts and institutions of higher learning are announcing their plans to adjust operations to deal with the pandemic.

Many are combining in-school classroom instruction with livestream or remote components to keep students on track academically. Some districts also announced plans to provide meals to students during the disruption.

Parents gather for a last-minute picket Friday along Route 228 to support Mars Area School District teachers, who have been working more than 130 days without a new contract.“They're our every-day heroes,” one parent said of the teachers.