Students prepare for online instruction

Colleges across the area are making plans for alternative instruction methods with many having already announced plans to end in-person classes.

Muhlenberg College was one of the first area schools to announce that face-to-face classes would be coming to an end. In person classes will end there Friday and students were given until Saturday to be out of the dorms.

Alternate modes of instruction will be offered for all courses beginning March 18 continuing through April 13.

Sophomore Owen Mendes, of Palmerton, said he’s concerned about what changing the style of instruction means for the overall classes themselves.

“I’m mostly concerned that this will impact the quality of the courses that I’m taking,” Mendes said. “When I take higher level courses that build off what I’m doing now, will I be adequately prepared?”

The level of fear among students on campus, he said, is different for every individual.

“From what I’ve seen,” Mendes said, “students are mostly concerned about people who are immunocomprised, whether that’s themselves or people they know. For most healthy students there’s little concern that they’ll be fatally sick.”

Muhlenberg’s classes, Mendes said, will be held through a video conferencing program called Zoom.

“Classes will be held at the same time they are normally, and professors are being told not to have class on Monday or Tuesday so they have time to adjust their syllabi and prepare for the shift,” he said.

Penn State University will offer remote classes from March 16 through April 3, with in-person classes beginning again April 6, at the earliest.

Kutztown University suspended classes and closed its residence halls through March 23.

In person classes will end Friday at Temple University with online classes starting March 16. Online classes will continue through the end of the spring semester

Lehigh University will have remote classes for two weeks.

East Stroudsburg University extended its spring break with an expectation to return March 23. ESU students who are involved with student teaching, international students, and student-athletes who are in their competition season are allowed to stay in residence halls over the break.

University officials said they are doing everything in their power to ensure that students scheduled to graduate this spring will complete their course requirements and meet all graduation requirements.

Faculty will receive training on converting courses for online delivery between March 16-20. A decision on whether or not ESU will use online instructional delivery starting March 23 has not yet been made.

Area school districts

Schuylkill County school districts are continuing to take precautionary measures.

Each Schuylkill County School District superintendent signed off on a letter to parents and guardians on Thursday. The letter stated, “The Schuylkill County Emergency Management Agency in consultation with the Pennsylvania Department of Health is actively working to plan and respond to the potential impact of Coronavirus COVID-19 with all county school districts ...

“Much remains unknown about COVID-19, including fatality rates. Early indications are that children are at a much lower risk of severe illness from COVID-19, and as with influenza, the elderly and those with immunosuppressive conditions are at a higher risk of severe illness.”

County emergency management and superintendents will continue to meet regularly to share information.

Carbon County districts and Pleasant Valley were expected to release more information on Friday.