In line with the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in Monroe County, the Monroe County Community School Corp.'s Coronavirus Metrics Committee has decided to move the district to Phase Yellow starting Nov. 30.
This means that all students currently learning 100% virtually will continue to do so, and elementary schools will continue in-person instruction five days a week.
FROM LAST WEEK: MCCSC Reports 11.5 In-Person COVID-19 Cases
Middle and high schools will move to a hybrid system — students with last names starting with the letter A-K will meet in person Monday, Wednesday and every other Friday, with virtual instruction Tuesday and Thursday. Students with last names L-Z will meet online Monday, Wednesday and every other Friday, with in-person instruction Tuesday and Thursday.
Andrea Mobley is the assistant superintend of human resources and operations for MCCSC.
She says the low number of positive cases throughout the corporation doesn’t warrant going to back to Phase Red, where all learning is virtual.
“Schools are the safest place for our kids to be. People are getting infected outside of school. Even in the influenza pandemic of 1918, they came to the same conclusion and kept kids in school.”
However, school board member Brandon Shurr says the toll the pandemic and the hybrid and online learning is taking on teachers cannot be overlooked.
“We give lots of thanks to teachers, but instead we just carry on until things meet a breaking point or until things snap or do we take care of our most trusted resources and listen to their cries for help?”
MCCSC was in Phase Yellow earlier in the year, but switched to Phase Green on Oct. 12.
This change back to yellow comes the same day that Indiana recorded an all-time high number of COVID-19 deaths.
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