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Students At Charter School In Pittsburgh Eat Lunch Outside In Tent To Help Mitigate Spread Of COVID-19 – CBS Pittsburgh


By: KDKA-TV’s Erika Stanish

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — College lunches look a bit completely different this yr at a constitution college in Pittsburgh.

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College students at Environmental Constitution College on South Braddock Avenue are consuming their lunches exterior in tents as a strategy to mitigate the unfold of COVID-19, in accordance with the first college.

James Doyle, the chief working officer at ECS, stated college students have been consuming exterior because the third week of faculty.

“As a part of our early on COVID mitigation and once we opened our faculty totally to college students, as a result of final yr, we really had about half capability and buildings, we recognized particular methods that will permit us to securely and securely have college students taking part in studying actions however then additionally lunch,” Doyle stated.

(Photograph Credit score: KDKA)

Just lately, Doyle stated the college bought a 26-by-40 foot tent that may assist stand up to harsher temperatures as winter nears.

“The objective with the bigger tent that has the perimeters, the airflow continues to be one hundred pc. You’re getting air all all through it, however we are able to have all of our college students on the identical time exterior, which simply makes it a way more conducive area,” Doyle stated.

Doyle stated out of doors schooling is a part of the core of its tutorial curriculum and stated consuming lunch exterior provides to the college’s mission.

“On this constructing that we’re in proper now, we’re proper subsequent to Frick Park. We get our college students exterior each day. So it is a excellent, excellent strategy to complement what we already do day in and day trip,” Doyle stated.

However some dad and mom have issues because the temperature continues to drop and query how consuming in a tent is any safer than contained in the cafeteria.

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“If the entire concept is to be like COVID cautious, as soon as you set a tent up and put heaters on, then shouldn’t the youngsters simply be inside at that time limit? As a result of I imply, heating up an enclosed area like that for kids to eat, I believe sort of creates like a Petri dish of germs as a substitute,” a mother or father who didn’t wish to be recognized stated.

The district stated it has two 1,500-watt electrical stand heaters that may go within the tents as soon as it will get colder exterior.

“By sq. footage, that is enough and nonetheless will be operated safely with college students within the tent,” stated Deana Callipare, a spokesperson for ECS.

In an e-mail despatched to folks this week, the college reported the warmers should not put in but and requested that college students remembered to convey a jacket to highschool.

Doyle stated roughly 100 college students eat within the tent throughout every lunch interval.

“I’m sending my youngsters to highschool. I’m not sending them out snowboarding. Why do I have to put an additional layer of clothes on my youngster for them to have the ability to eat lunch exterior?” a mother or father stated.

In a press release despatched to KDKA, Callipare stated, “ECS plans to proceed this mitigation effort so long as attainable, climate allowing.”

KDKA requested the college if it had a temperature restrict to when it might have college students eat inside. Doyle stated he plans to observe the temperatures and play it by ear.

“If it feels too chilly or if it will get a bit too chilly, we received’t have our college students exterior. However it’s in the end going to be sort of engaged on it as we go,” Doyle stated. “I believe it’ll be sort of simply feeling it and seeing what the warmers are capable of do. And if not, convey it again inside.”

“I used to be actually excited to listen to that they made this plan with the intention to hold our children as protected as attainable throughout this time and be capable of give them good airflow and have the skin,” mother or father Maya Haptas stated.

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“We’ll ensure that the area is protected, the area is heat, and the area is inviting for our children to have the ability to eat lunch safely,” Doyle stated.



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