PITTSBURGH — The return to in-person classes for students from the Pittsburgh Oliver Citywide Academy has been extended and new safety precautions will be put in for when they come back.
Students began learning remotely after a teacher was allegedly raped by a 15-year-old student who is now facing charges.
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Students were originally supposed to return to classes on Oct. 10.
The decision to continue remote learning was requested by the school’s staff. The students will now return on Oct. 17.
Teaching was switched from in-person to online in an attempt to give students time to recover from any trauma related to the assault and to take care of their mental needs.
“We need to give our OCA team time to prepare for the return of in-person learning as they balance the need to take care of each other while planning in between providing students the valuable instruction they need,” said Superintendent Wayne N. Walters. “We know that if our staff are not at their best, it becomes even more challenging for staff to help our children perform at their best.”
The school will have several safety precautions in place for when students return. Those new precautions are:
1. A revised enrollment process will be in place which will require documentation from previous schools and settings.
2. A new adult partnering system for staff.
3. An additional security guard was assigned to the building.
4. New radios will be given to all classrooms to attempt to increase communication in emergency situations.
5. Separate entrances designated for use by staff, students and visitors to limit the use of multiple doors.
6. Therapeutic Crisis Intervention training for new staff members.
7. Intentional planning for restorative practice circles.
8. Augmented counseling and other students support services for when students return.
School officials say they will hold a parent-teacher conference day on Oct. 14.
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