(WBRE/WYOU) — The start of the new school year is now just weeks away for most area school districts. Most resume classes at the end of the month or early September.
28/22 News talked with the superintendents of the two largest school districts in NEPA, Hazleton and Scranton, about their final preps
The Hazleton and Scranton school districts combine for a total of more than 20,000 students.
Hazleton is the largest district. They say their number one priority is school safety.
"We're very ready to welcome those students back," Hazleton Area School District Superintendent Dr. Brian Uplinger told 28/22 News.
"We are super excited to welcome everyone back, can't wait," Scranton School District Superintendent Dr. Erin Keating said.
28/22 News spoke with Uplinger and Keating, the superintendent of the Scranton School District. Both say their districts really never shut down.
Even during the summer months, staff and administrators are always prepping for the next school year.
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Uplinger talked about their efforts to make sure their schools are safe.
"We've invested in different technologies across the district. We're revamping our camera system, we're revamping the way that they enter the schools. We have new things they can walk through, metal detectors that they walk through. They are called open gates, very simple to walk through," Uplinger explained.
Keating urges people to be aware of their surroundings at all times.
"So we are going to do everything we can to make our schools the most safe, welcoming environment our children can come to. But I will stand by the old adage: If you see something, say something. If there's something that you just don't feel right or you don't think it's right, call someone. Use the Safe2Say app to be able to put it into us," Keating explained.
Both superintendents say their enrollment numbers are growing by leaps and bounds, and that means space is limited.
"For us right now, the biggest challenge right now is watching our enrollment numbers. They're much higher than we anticipated going into the 25-26 school year. In addition to that, we are seeing a very large increase of students who have IEP, especially autistic children, and making sure we have the right space for those students and we have enough space open up on the first day of school," Keating continued.
"Kind of reiterating what Dr. Keating said. Space. We are out of it. This is an unprecedented number of students coming into the district. Right now, we are sitting with a least 850 kindergarten students. We haven't hit that since yet in August, that we always hit," Uplinger added.
You can see the entire interview with Uplinger and Keating online.
