NEW PALESTINE — Officials in the Community School Corporation of Southern Hancock County announced late Saturday they would be shutting down all district schools and going to virtual learning this week.
The decision comes after district officials noted due to COVID-19 quarantines and other absences, they do not have enough people to staff their classrooms and transport the students to and from school.
District officials noted they hope to be able to return to full in classroom learning as soon as Monday, Dec. 7, but said they will have to evaluate the situation as they get closer to the return date.
Before the break officials had sent out information they would be returning to in person classroom learning after four of their six schools had been shut down due to COVID-19. However, they warned parents and families the plan could change depending on cases of the virus and quarantine numbers. They also told families the district could close down if they didn’t have enough substitute teachers and that is the reason for the closures in five of the six buildings this week.
New Palestine High School, which had been teaching students virtually before the break due to five or more COVID-19 cases was going to have to remain with virtual learning this week after the COVID numbers stayed the same at five cases, district officials said.
All Southern Hancock students have the option to pick up free meals for the upcoming virtual week. Families interested in free meals should complete the google form sheet sent to them. Meals can be picked up at a child’s school on Monday, Nov. 30 and Tuesday, Dec. 1 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. A delivery option is available for families with transportation issues. Those families should check the delivery box on the form and a member of the CSCSHC food service team will be in touch to arrange a delivery time.
Also, district partners at the YMCA are operating a full-day child care program at Sugar Creek Elementary during the virtual week. All families are eligible for child care for one or more days during the week.
The Daily Reporter will have more on these developing COVID-19 issues in the Tuesday, Dec. 1 edition.
