Akron Central High School to transition to virtual for 10 days

High School students at Akron Central will begin transitioning to ten days of virtual learning, the District learned Wednesday night.  Superintendent of Schools Patrick McCabe reported to Board of Education members during their September 22 meeting, that numbers of COVID-19 cases in the High School and evidence that it is being transmitted in the school setting, have reached a level that Erie County Health Department is requiring a move to virtual learning for ten days. 

As of Tuesday, 17 positive cases were reported in the High School with 55 students required to quarantine.  Two cases in the same extracurricular resulted in 26 quarantine orders.

McCabe told the Board that an addition 13 High School classes and the 154 students in them are now impacted by new cases he learned about on Wednesday afternoon, and that the Commissioner of Health informed him of the need to go virtual.  McCabe also said the Commissioner provided him with evidence that the spread is coming within the school.

District totals for the first 12 days of school are 24 positive student Cases, 2 confirmed and 3 suspected waiting for confirmation Staff cases, and 108 quarantine orders as of September 21.  That total rose to 27 students on Wednesday, with addition quarantines.  Quarantine of over 175 and possibly 200 students is expected.

School as usual Thursday

McCabe explained that students will report to school as scheduled on Thursday, September 23 to receive expectations from teachers, as well as to gather materials, chromebooks, and chargers they will need while learning virtually.  High School students will not have in-school or on-line instruction on Friday, as teachers prepare for virtual learning beginning Monday, September 27 through Monday, October 4.

While the High School is virtual all sports are on pause.  The Athlete Director is working to reschedule as many as possible.

Efforts to move Homecoming Week to October 18 to 22 are being made.

Elementary School and Middle School students will continue to attend in school five-days a week.  Over 11 days of school, the Elementary School has had 6 positive cases with 42 students required to quarantine.  Two of those cases were in the same room resulting in 21 students required to quarantine.  There have been 2 positive cases in the Middle School with 12 students required to quarantine.

Numbers of confirmed cases at ACS, as well as the number of students who are quarantined due to close contact are higher than at any time since the Pandemic began, McCabe told the Board.  Monitoring continues in the Elementary and Middle School.

While the High School is fully remote there will be a deep cleaning of the facility.

District-wide:

Daily health monitoring at home and before entering the campus is requested.  McCabe expressed appreciation for parents who are regularly completing this monitoring.

People are encouraged to stay home if they are symptomatic.  If symptoms are from seasonal allergies a doctor’s note or a negative COVID-19 test is requested.

All mitigation measures – HVAC, Cleaning and Disinfecting, social distancing, routine hand washing, use of masks, and hand sanitizer continue.

Ways to increase social distancing in study halls and in the cafeteria are being explored.