School districts are in the midst of discussing how to safely reopen. Some are going strictly virtual, others in-person, or a combination of both.


What You Need To Know

  • Dr. Philip Heavner believes it is possible to conduct in-person learning
  • Athens Area School District plans to provide students with a protective barrier
  • The school will also provide live teaching to students who stay home

But Dr. Philip Heavner of Guthrie Hospital says research suggests virtual learning can be detrimental to a student’s emotional, physical, and relational well-being.

"In an area where the incidents of coronavirus are relatively low, those things may outweigh other concerns about others getting sick or spreading the virus to those who are more vulnerable," said Heavner.

Heavner is the assistant chief of Pediatrics at Guthrie. He believes each school district is unique - according to the community spread of COVID-19. But Heavner says in-person learning is very possible.

"I think in-person learning can be safe if the schools are able to execute social distancing, masking, hand washing, arrange for different ways of delivering meals and other group activities. But they've got to do all of it."

Athens Area School District is minutes from Guthrie. This school is doing a hybrid model of reopening - allowing students who stay home to learn live. And those who go to school will have their own protective barrier to carry throughout the day.

No matter the steps a district takes, Heavner says there's no guarantee of stopping the spread.

"There's always going to be a risk of transmissible disease. The question is, how serious is that disease? And how does it affect people? With coronavirus it's just a next level illness. It's something that at this point we don't have a good vaccine for but we will," said Heavner.