FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO): Southwest Allen County Schools has joined other systems in Allen County in moving all students in grades 6-12 to extended virtual learning. All elementary schools will remain open with no changes for K-5 students or special needs students.
Superintendent Phil Downs said in a letter to parents, that originally Southwest Allen had intended to bring students back to the classroom on November 30th, but that now, students will be on remote learning until after winter break.
Downs said “We knew the 2020-2021 school year would be unique and challenging. Our Return to School Plan was developed to keep staff and students safe and your child’s health is our primary concern when we make these decisions, yet there are many factors we must consider. The reality is we need teachers to teach, and the numbers of isolations and quarantines, combined with the lack of substitutes available, continue to impede our ability to staff classrooms”.
Downs said that the overwhelming majority of COVID-19 cases affecting SACS students and staff have been outside of the schools. Since SACS returned to school on August 12, out of over 1000 employees, more than 400 staff have been impacted by COVID-19, and only 47 have tested positive. The majority of the cases of adults unable to work have been due to quarantine and childcare issues.
Last year at this time, SACS retained a list of between 150-200 active substitute teachers available to assist the district at various grade levels. Today, SACS has 51 available. While some have been personally affected by COVID-19, many decided not teach this year resulting in the inability to staff classrooms during the pandemic. SACS Transportation and Food Services staff and services have been similarly impacted.
Downs commented on case numbers increasing saying “Although SACS has seen a slight increase of positive cases in our schools recently, it is less than the increase we are seeing in our community. I encourage you to visit the Indiana Dashboard for up-to-date data related to cases in our schools.”
For those families who have students in grades 6-12, further information from your student’s school will be forthcoming. Extra-curricular and co-curricular activities will continue as scheduled.
