On Aug. 13, the Long County School System announced they would go to virtual learning beginning tomorrow and remain virtual until they evaluate the COVID numbers on Sept. 1. Parents and guardians had the option of sending their kids to class on Monday and Tuesday. Those who attended were set to receive their Chrome books Tuesday afternoon, to begin virtual learning tomorrow. Students who stayed home would be allowed to have their parents pick up their Chrome books today.

“We’ve been watching the numbers in our community since school started and the numbers in the community continue to climb,” said Long County School Superintendent David Edwards. “We did start school and we’ve been watching the numbers in our school buildings and they are steadily climbing.”

Edwards said last year they saw high numbers in the community but not within their school system.

“The transmission did not appear to be there,” he said. “We could only track just a few cases where there was transmission in the school system. That is completely different this year.”

Edwards said as of Aug. 13, there were 64 COVID positive students with possibly more not yet reported. Edwards said more than 700 students were placed in quarantine, to include the entire football team. Edwards added the numbers keep going up. They had 20 staff members test positive as well. Sixteen are in quarantine. Edwards said trying to fill temporary vacancies due to staff members bring out has been problematic.

“Unfilled teacher positions, paraprofessional positions, cafeteria positions make it hard to function efficiently,” he said. “Our staff pulls in and we get the job done but that is another factor”

Edwards noted the main reason for their decision is for the health and safety of their students and staff. He said the vaccination rate in Long County is low and they’ve also experienced tremendous growth making social distancing in classrooms nearly impossible. Edwards said they added more than 300 students this year.

Brittany VanDyke is the mother of Matthew Johnson, 13. She understands the predicament the school system faces but worries her son will suffer in his education.

“It was really hard for Matthew last year virtually,” she said. “It’s going to be hard this year too. He does better in person.”

She said is expecting her son’s anxiety to be elevated as he struggles in understanding assignments and once again being isolated away from his friends and classmates.

“I worry for his future,” she said.

David Stadelman is the father of three kids ages 3, 5, and 6.  His wife is working on completing her college studies online and he works a full-time job.

“It’s frustrating,” he said of going back to virtual learning.

Stadelman added that his 5-year-old daughter suffers from a rare form of Epilepsy and does better when offered in-class education specific to her needs. He is afraid she will fall behind during virtual learning. He said it’s nearly impossible to keep young kids engaged and sitting still at a computer screen or laptop, while at home. The children tend to get distracted easily and said virtual learning can be chaotic at times.

“It’s going to slow down progression, closes everybody back off again and the kids don’t get the interaction they need,” he said.

Stadelman said he appreciates the fact that they placed the health and safety of the children and staff first but hoped the initial plan would have allowed for virtual learning on a voluntary basis.

Superintendent Edwards said the Board believes the best scenario would be to continue in-person classes, which is more conducive to learning.

“But right now the numbers climbing are very alarming,” he said. “We hope this I just temporary…that is our plan and our goals.”

Edwards said they are looking at a variety of options to include long-term virtual learning for the parents who prefer to keep their children home and possible A/B shifts rotating in-class and virtual days to reduce class sizes and allow for social distancing.

He said they will make a determination on the matter by Sept. 1.

“Again, we want to have school and have the students in our building,” he said. “We believe that is the best-case scenario for instruction. However, at this time, the health and safety and the continuing rises of these COVID cases, we are taking that pause with the hopes the cases will decline.”

The Liberty County School system is currently maintaining in class education. As of Aug. 13, the LCSS reported 73 students with positive COVID results, 739 students in quarantine, 16 staff members with positive COVID results and 25 staff members in quarantine. On Monday they sent out a safety reminder to parents, asking them to be diligent about monitoring their child(ren) for symptoms of illness prior to putting them on the bus or bringing them to school.

“If your child has a cough, muscle aches, sore throat, headache, congestion, runny nose, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or a temperature of 100 degrees or greater, please keep them at home and follow up with their healthcare provider prior to allowing them to return to school,” the statement read. “Our data indicates that the majority of current cases in our schools may have been due to contact outside of the school.”