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School District of Philadelphia teachers prepare to welcome students back to the classroom
Students will return to the classroom in Philadelphia on Aug. 30 as the district mulls a vaccine mandate for teachers and staff.
PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphia Public School teachers at Vare-Washington Elementary are back in the building to prepare classrooms for the upcoming school year.
Teachers and staff at the South Philadelphia elementary school say they are optimistic about the classroom comeback but say safety is at the forefront of their minds ahead of the first day of school.
"I know parents are concerned in terms of safety. We have been mindful of all of our routines and procedures and have thought about how we can adjust them to be safer," said Principal Gretchen Stewart.
An ongoing pandemic and a raging Delta Variant has posed concerns for teachers, many of whom will teach unvaccinated children.
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"There are some nerves about I hope we don’t get shut down again or we don’t have to go back to hybrid or virtual because digs a big lift on students and teachers alike," said Jenna Beck
Beck and her colleagues tell FOX29 they are willing to do whatever is necessary to ensure the safety of her students and their families
"I wanna do whatever it takes to keep students in school and to keep teachers in school. I’m willing to follow all of the precautions because our students need to be in the building," said Beck.
Philadelphia Public School Students return to classes on Tuesday, Aug. 31.
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