Jackson County schools will require virtual learners to return to in-person classes
Jackson County School District will require all students enrolled in distance learning to return to campus by Oct. 13.
The school board voted Monday night to bring almost all of the 979 distance learners, or 11% of the district’s student body, back to campus later this month. Students who have medical conditions on a specific list will still be allowed to continue to participate in virtual learning.
Before the decision, the board reviewed data from the first two months of school showing that significant numbers of students at every grade level who are enrolled in distance learning are failing at least one subject.
The numbers were worst for middle schoolers: 78% of all middle school students in virtual learning were failing at least one subject, and 23% were failing at least four subjects.
“The data is compelling evidence that our students need to be back in school,” Superintendent John Strycker told the school board.
Jackson County appears to be the first Coast school district to completely end its virtual learning option for students.
Cases in Mississippi and on the Coast have declined from their peak in late July, but in recent days the state has still reported an average of around 500 new cases per day.
According to a press release from the district, Director of Curriculum and Administration Penny Westfaul presented a plan to bring elementary and middle school students back to school during the second quarter, starting in mid-October. High school students would return during the second semester. That plan reflected emerging research that teenagers are likelier than younger children to develop symptoms and transmit COVID-19.
But during the meeting, the school board decided to require everyone to come back to campus starting Oct. 13.
Strycker told the Sun Herald he anticipates a few families will choose to home-school their children rather than send them back to class in person, so he estimated the change will mean 8-10% more students on campus. That will mean campuses that have developed protocols for keeping students as far apart from each other as possible will have to adjust.
“I think that’s doable,” he said. “We’re not doubling or anything like that. But yeah... it won’t be as optimal as less students.”
Strycker has touted the district’s declining number of COVID-19 cases: he reported there were 92 among students in August, compared to 58 in September.
Cases among students and teachers do continue to occur. Last week, the state’s update on COVID-19 cases at schools showed that nine teachers at St. Martin North Elementary and between 1 and 5 students had tested positive during the week of Sept. 21, among other cases.
While Jackson County School District’s COVID-19 numbers have been in line with those at other districts on the Coast, the number of students and teachers reported to be in quarantine is not. St. Martin North Elementary reported three staff and 22 students quarantined last week. At the same time, Harrison Central High School reported 10 students had tested positive for COVID-19; 137 students were thus in quarantine.
The quarantine figures are much smaller because Jackson County does not require students or teachers who have been in close contact with someone who tests positive for COVID-19 to quarantine. The state health department says close contacts “should be quarantined and excluded from the school setting for a full 14 days after last exposure,” but that recommendation is just a guideline, not a requirement.
Jackson County School District advises exposed students and their families to monitor for symptoms, but does not require them to stay home.
“We still feel strongly that our students that are healthy do need to be in school,” Strycker said.
