Greencastle-Antrim Board has two 2021-22 calendars to consider echo-pilot.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from echo-pilot.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
The Greencastle-Antrim School District is continuing to navigate rapid changes in the COVID-19 picture.
In a video message to families on Friday, Dr. Lura Hanks, superintendent, announced middle school students will be returning to the classroom for full days four days a week beginning April 8.
In two emails Monday one in the morning and one in the afternoon she alerted families to a surge in positive COVID-19 cases and urged continued vigilance.
Testing positive
Several positive cases were reported over the weekend, with more reported on Monday, Hanks wrote. By the end of the day Monday, there were five positive high school students, three staff members, two primary school students and one elementary school student.
Echo Pilot
People across the country have mixed views about whether to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and that s the case in this area, too.
Valerie Meyers, executive director of the Greencastle-Antrim Chamber of Commerce, said she is hearing strong opinions both for and against vaccination. Community members will come in saying that they re anxious to have things back to normal and that the vaccine is the means to make that happen, she said. I spoke to a vendor who s very interested in participating in an event, but who is firm about not doing so while there is any risk of infection.
Things to think about
Schools have changed in the last year, the pandemic continues and it is unclear what s ahead, but asynchronous Wednesdays have served the district well this year, said Dr. Lura Hanks, superintendent. In asynchronous learning, the instruction is not in real time, but is available online.
Several adjustments have been made to when G-A schools are open to in-person learning over the course of the year so far, but virtual Wednesdays have been observed since day one at all grade levels.
They free teachers up to meet with parents, do collaborative planning with other teachers and give feedback to students anything that takes them out of the classroom on Wednesdays, Hanks said.