Back to virtual

English department teacher Lindsay Coleman-Taylor teaches her Lit. 9 class via Zoom on Oct. 21, 2020. Students at Clarke Central High School will be participating in virtual learning from Jan. 20 until at least Jan. 21 as dictated by a Jan. 18 press release from Acting Superintendent Brandon Gaskins. “According to the email, it’s because of staffing shortages, which I understand. From what I read, we’re just going on pause for in-person learning on Thursday and Friday of this week,” English department teacher Kaela Sweeney said. “So we’ll have virtual learning on those days, and we’ll be back on Monday.” Photo from the ODYSSEY archives

CCHS will switch to a virtual model from Jan. 20 through at least Jan. 21 due to staffing shortages caused by COVID-19.

The Clarke County School District announced in a Jan. 18 press release that Clarke Central High School, Cedar Shoals High School, Clarke Middle School and Alps Road Elementary School will be switching to a virtual model from Jan. 20 through at least Jan. 21.

According to the press release, the shift is occurring because of staffing shortages due to COVID-19. According to information from the CCSD COVID-19 Case Reporting Dashboard, 6.2% of students and staff in CCSD have had confirmed cases in the past 30 days, a total of 931 cases. Of 117 respondents to an @odysseynewsmag poll on Instagram, 71 responses favored the move.

“(School closures) are something that they do decide at the district with a look at a lot of different data, and I’m sure they’re communicating with the building-level principals about their staff situations. Their average daily attendance is being monitored, where they monitor how many students are present each day and things like that,” Special education department teacher Brad Williford said. “When you’re short cafeteria staff, you’re short custodial staff or bus drivers, you’re short teachers, you’re short office staff, all those things kind of factor into it.”

“When you’re short cafeteria staff, you’re short custodial staff or bus drivers, you’re short teachers, you’re short office staff, all those things kind of factor into it.”

— Brad Williford,
Special education department teacher

English department teacher Kaela Sweeney is hopeful that switching to a virtual model will help alleviate the current wave of COVID-19 cases.

“Although I don’t like virtual learning as much, like I want to be here with the students, I hope it’ll be good so that we can all come back healthy,” Sweeney said. “I think we’re used to (pivoting) now. I think it’ll be fine. I’m not too worried about it. I think both teachers and students seem to be used to virtual learning and it won’t be too bad.”

While Sweeny is optimistic, freshman Gabby Jones has mixed feelings about the shift to virtual learning.

“I’m kinda glad because I don’t have to wake up early for school, but then again who wants to sit and look at a computer screen all morning?” Jones said. “But yeah, I think (COVID-19) could get worse.”

In the press release, Acting Superintendent Brannon Gaskins assured families that CCSD would prioritize a safe return to an in-person model.

“We understand that this decision will pose challenges for our students and families, and we did not make it lightly,” Gaskins stated in the press release. “We are committed to returning to in-person instruction as soon as we can safely do so, and we will do everything we can to support you during this time.”

While the virtual pivot is slated to last at least until Friday, Jan. 21, Willford agrees the shift was a timely decision.

“So for now, I feel like yeah, we have to think about the well-being of everybody,” Williford said. “I know it cannot be an easy decision to leave students at home (and have) staff members making a pivot like this to change their instructional delivery.”

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