Eugene junior high, high school moves to virtual learning

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Students in grades 7-12 in the Cole County R-5 School District in Eugene switched to virtual learning Monday due to a staffing shortage and concerns about potential COVID-19 spread.

Superintendent Dawna Burrow, her administration and the staff member who does contact tracing for the district made the decision for these grades to switch to virtual learning, Burrow said. The Cole County Health Department was not involved in this decision.

The district plans for these students to return to in-person classes Nov. 9, but it may be later if there is an increase in cases. Administration will re-evaluate closer to that date, Burrow said.

Four staff members would have been unable to attend Monday, and three of them are in quarantine, so administration thought it was likely these staff members could test positive and infect others or lead others to be quarantined from close contact, Burrow said.

"We were looking at the likelihoods between the staff members that we knew were already out, those that might be out and a significant number of the high school students that might need to be quarantined," Burrow said.

The district has three active staff cases and five active student cases, Burrow said. She said she does not know how many close contacts these cases resulted in.

"We thought it was best just to call everything off for two weeks and let everybody stay separated as much as possible and then hopefully come back and not have the same issues," she said.

The district's fifth-grade class was in quarantine for the past two weeks, and the students returned Monday. The number of quarantines and active cases in the elementary school is now low, Burrow said.

Unlike the school closure in the spring, teachers and students are prepared for virtual learning and will continue the same lessons instead of doing reviews. The district is providing Chromebooks to students, and teachers will primarily use Google Classroom.

WiFi access will be available in the high school parking lots close to the building perimeter in the front of the building between 9 a.m.-2 p.m. and 4-9 p.m. and the back of the building from 9 a.m.-9 p.m.

"We want to try to do everything virtual this time, and we're just trying to work with our families to make sure they have what they need to be able to do that," Burrow said.

For students who request it, packets will be delivered on the Wednesday afternoon bus route. These assignments will be picked up Nov. 2 on the morning bus route. The second homework delivery will be Nov. 4 on the afternoon bus route, and students will bring completed homework to school Nov. 9.

Free breakfast and lunch will be available for students in virtual learning and district residents under age 18 who are not enrolled in the district. To request meals, call Nina Kilson before 8:30 a.m. daily at 573-498-4023. Meal pickup will be at 10:45 a.m. in the back elementary cafeteria door.

High school volleyball players who were not in close contact to a positive COVID-19 case can still play in the district tournament Wednesday and Thursday, Burrow said.

For any questions, email your child's teacher or call the high school office at 573-498-4001 between 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday through Friday.