Student petitions Deer Lakes to continue hybrid learning

A Deer Lakes High School senior has started a petition asking district officials to continue hybrid learning.

Connor D. Sharo, who mounted the petition drive on SumOfUs, said hybrid is the best way for students to continue receiving in-person instruction while remaining socially distant.

“If Deer Lakes School District were to transition to having students, faculty and staff go to school five days a week, there will be no possible way to stay socially distant,” Sharo wrote in the petition. “‘Social distancing’ is one of few proven ways to reduce the spread of ‘covid-19,’ which would be impossible due to all the students in the building at once.

“We cannot be breaking these guidelines because they are just so important to keep people safe and to stop the spread of this disease,” Sharo wrote. “This will also not only put our students, faculty and staff at risk, but all of our loved ones as well. Our families, friends and the rest of our community.”

Sharo, 17, created his petition Oct. 15. It had more than 230 signatures as of early Sunday evening. Its goal is 400.

Sharo said the petition a direct result of the Oct. 13 school board meeting during which parents demanded the board reinstate full-time in-person learning. He didn’t watch the virtual meeting, but his mom did.

“My mom was devastated and so disappointed with what happened, and so am I hearing about all of it,” Sharo said by phone Sunday.

Deer Lakes currently offers hybrid and fully online learning. Students who chose the hybrid model go to school twice a week and learn remotely the remaining three days.

The school board will decide whether to reinstate full-time in-person learning at its Tuesday voting meeting. Fully online learning would remain available for students and parents not comfortable with in-person learning.

Sharo and his little sister, Brienne, are enrolled in hybrid learning.

He said in the petition the hybrid model allows students to have some days in school while still following the recommended health and safety guidelines put in place to help mitigate the spread of covid-19. Those include wearing masks, staying socially distant by 6 feet or more and washing hands and surfaces often.

“Let’s look at the big picture,” Sharo wrote. “The ‘Hybrid Model’ allows us to have some moments safety. The ‘Hybrid Model’ allows us to have that very valuable time in person while staying socially distant. Of course this way of learning has its challenges, but these challenges are temporary. Losing a life of a loved one is a pain that will last forever.”

Sharo plans to present his petition and speak to the board during the meeting.

He said he and his sister, who is a freshman, would choose fully online learning if the district brings back full-time in-person learning.

“I don’t think it’s safe, especially for the teachers,” Sharo said. “(I think) it’s unfair for the teachers.”

Superintendent Janell Logue-Belden referred questions about the petition to the district’s new spokeswoman, Coby Detar.

Detar said the district welcomes any feedback families are willing to provide and will be fact-checking all of the signatures and comments on the petition to ensure officials are providing the “utmost honest and up-to-date information for the decision-making process.”

“We will continue to weigh the feedback we are receiving from the community against the best available data and the expert health and safety guidance we are receiving from local, state and federal agencies to make the best possible decisions for our students and staff,” Detar said.