/COVID-19 outbreak closes Mississippi school one week after it reopened

COVID-19 outbreak closes Mississippi school one week after it reopened

Nonprofit Mississippi News A COVID-19 epidemic struck less than a week after an elementary school in Lauderdale County opened its doors. According to a letter from its superintendent, the outbreak took place at Southeast Elementary School in Lauderdale County School District. Officials had to close the school and switch to distance learning until Sept. 2. After reopening earlier in the month, this is the first Mississippi school to be closed due to COVID-19. John-Mark Cain (the superintendent) wrote an August 17 letter to parents and guardians stating that “Due to safety and following our Return to Learn protocol, we have decided to ensure continuity of learning via online learning.” “Students will not report for school and will be moved to a virtual environment immediately,” John-Mark Cain, superintendent, wrote in an Aug. 17 letter to parents and guardians. It is not clear how or how many students were affected. Cain and the school district offices did not respond to a request for comment. READ MORE: Teachers reveal the grim details of Mississippi’s school districts that have failed to fulfill COVID reopening commitments. The Mississippi Department of Education gave the option of opening a school to any of three options: in-person, virtual or mixed. All 138 districts in the state were required to submit plans by July 31. The governor. Tate Reeves reviewed the plans for all districts’ reopening and declared that most would proceed as planned. Reeves decided that eight counties, representing just 7% of all state students, should be delayed two weeks to Aug. 17. Reeves ignored the advice of top state medical professionals and education advocates who had publicly asked for the delay of school starting to September. Reeves declared that schools would reopen on schedule, but Dr. Thomas Dobbs (State Health Officer) said this in a live conference: “It’s nuts.” Dobbs stated earlier this month that it was impossible to imagine that the state is not going to have to pay the price of trying to squeeze kids into schools now. On Aug. 10, schools in Lauderdale County School District were able to return to their classrooms. According to the district’s Return to Learn plan, students showed up in person on specific days depending on their first name. Students whose last names begin with A-K took part in traditional learning on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. They also participated in virtual learning on Wednesday. “Some schools may have to close temporarily. It’s inevitable. Dobbs stated that it was inevitable. To support this work, you can make a regular donation to us today as part of the Spring Member Drive.