EMMAUS, Pa. \u2013 Students in kindergarten through fifth grade in the East Penn School District will no longer bring home district-issued devices beginning in the 2026-27 school year, administrators told the school board Monday.<\/p>\n
The change prompted administrators to distinguish between the district’s Flexible Instruction Days, or FIDs, and Remote Instruction Days, they said on Monday.<\/p>\n
According to the administration\u2019s presentation, the shift primarily affects the language used to describe days when students receive instruction outside the classroom and gives teachers greater flexibility in the types of activities students complete when schools are closed.<\/p>\n
While in-person instruction remains the preferred method of learning, Superintendent Kristen Campbell said the change is intended to provide flexibility when students cannot be in the classroom.<\/p>\n
“The greatest benefit is in-person instruction in which students are working with teachers,” Campbell said.<\/p>\n
She noted that a primary reason devices were sent home in the elementary grades was to allow for access to instructional activities.<\/p>\n
Families of elementary students will notice differences only in the activities students complete at home, officials said. Students in grades 6-12 will not be affected, Assistant Superintendent Douglas Povilaitis said.<\/p>\n
“It’s just a change in language,” Povilaitis said.<\/p>\n
The district will continue to adhere to a five-day maximum for Remote Instruction Days, officials said.<\/p>\n
Further work on assignments and educational plans will be completed over the summer, and announcements about procedures and communication preferences will be made in the fall, Povilaitis said.<\/p>\n