RICHLAND COUNTY, OHIO, Ohio — Editor's Note: The above video is from a previously published story
Just a few weeks into the school year, Madison Comprehensive High School and Madison Middle School will be going remote for one week due to the spread of COVID-19 and other illnesses throughout the classroom.
Superintendent Robert S. Peterson announced that the school had seen an increase in illness, resulting in a large amount of student and staff absences.
Both Madison High School and Middle School will be learning remotely for one week, starting on Thursday, Sept. 9. Classes are scheduled to resume in person on Thursday, Sept. 16.
“It is our goal to maximize in-person learning for the 2021-2022 school year, noted Peterson. “However, with the current increase in general illness and positive COVID-19 cases, we must make these adjustments to help keep our students, staff, and school community healthy and safe.
According a letter from Peterson to the district, the schools have struggled to find substitutes due to the number of illnesses.
“It is our hope that the week of remote learning at the high school and middle school will allow staff and students time to recover from illness so we may continue to provide in-person learning," he added.
Both schools are also implementing new protocols that are effective immediately. The board of education will continue to re-evaluate these protocols on an ongoing basis.
- Any student identified as a close household contact must quarantine whether symptomatic or asymptomatic.
- Any student identified as a school close contact must wear a mask at school during the duration of their period of quarantine. If the student is symptomatic, this option is not available, and the student must stay home from school.
“It is also our hope that the implementation of the protocols above will help keep both students and staff healthy, safe, and in school as we continue to battle illness, both COVID-related and otherwise,” said Peterson. “We continue to ask that families help keep our schools safe and healthy by keeping symptomatic students at home.”
Despite being remote for the next week, school-related activities are still scheduled to take place.
“During this period of remote learning, athletics and extracurricular activities will be allowed to continue,” noted Peterson in a letter to school families. “However, the health and safety of the students, coaches, and advisors involved will continue to be monitored on an activity-by-activity basis.”
Both schools will be continuing to provide meals to students during the remote learning period. In a Facebook post, the school noted that meal pick-ups for both the High School and Middle School will be held from 12-1 at the loading dock behind the Middle School.
You can read the entire letter from Peterson below:
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