HANCOCK COUNTY — Schools’ COVID-19 schedules are mostly stable for the coming week, with one district — Southern Hancock — attempting to get students back into the classroom after delaying reopening this week.
Southern Hancock leaders say they are ready to reopen every building but the high school starting on Monday, Dec. 7, after weeks of virtual learning for nearly all of their students.
New Palestine High School students will remain out of school for another week after district officials announced the number of COVID-19-related cases is too high to allow students and staff back into the building.
Leaders warned that the situation remains fluid. They would like to reopen the high school on Dec. 14, but if close contacts or additional cases dictate, the virtual-learning period may be extended. Extracurricular activities will continue for now, community relations director Wes Anderson said.
Families are being encouraged to prepare for virtual learning if positive cases increase, community spread occurs, or if a color change to the Indiana State Department of Health map occurs Wednesday. The county remained in the orange category this week, the second-highest level for community spread of the novel coronavirus.
Hancock County added two COVID-19 deaths Friday, raising its total to 65. The county is also seeing its highest number of infections since the pandemic began in March. The county set a record with 136 cases — adjusted downward from 153 as originally reported — on Wednesday. On Friday, the state reported 114 new infections from the day before. The seven-day daily average for the number of infections is now 86, also a new high.
“Families should have a plan for the potential of changes to the school schedule on short notice,” Anderson said.
While it appears the SH district has been hit the hardest so far with virus-related building shutdowns the past few weeks, officials in other county districts continue to adjust as well.
All eight Greenfield-Central schools were open to varying degrees this week, Superintendent Harold Olin said. The six elementary and intermediate schools have had all students on-site every day and plan to keep it that way this coming week.
Greenfield-Central High School and Greenfield Central Junior High School have students in a hybrid learning model. Students are in class some days and studying from home on others. The district plans to continue that setup for another two weeks, leading up to winter break.
Mt. Vernon also is maintaining a hybrid schedule at its schools.
Eastern Hancock students in kindergarten through sixth grade are attending school in person with an option for virtual learning until Christmas if the families so choose. Middle and high school students are now on a hybrid schedule through Dec. 11. Students are being divided into two groups who will attend school in person on alternating days.
