As COVID-19 spreads, so does virtual learning

PORTAGEVILLE, Mo. — Portageville elementary and middle school students will be learning virtually, joining the high school students already learning from home.

Beginning Friday, the entire school district transitioned to virtual learning due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases. The virtual learning is scheduled through Nov. 20.

“We know that this transition is difficult on families and we certainly understand, however, we feel that this decision is in the best interest of our students, staff and community,” wrote Barry Branscum, high school principal, and Kim Taylor, elementary principal, in a note to parents.

Portageville High School students transitioned to virtual learning Oct. 29.

Both principals reminded parents and students that work will be graded and that due dates are expected to be met. Also they noted students or parents with questions can email teachers.

Meals for students will be available for pickup between 10:30 and 11 a.m. each day at the Portageville High School cafeteria. Two meals will be given at that time to each child.

The district intends to continue to evaluate the situation and communicate any changes as they arise, the principals said in their messages to parents.

At Risco, children in pre-kindergarten through second grade recently began virtual learning. According to the District’s Facebook page this is to continue through Nov. 16 with classes resuming on Nov. 17.

Parents who would like a free breakfast and lunch provided for their students are asked to contact the Risco High School office at 396-5568.

The Gideon School District is also offering meals while students are at home and attending classes virtually. The meals will be delivered by bus around 11 a.m. on Monday and Wednesday or may be picked up at the school parking lot from 11-11:45 a.m. on those days. Students will receive multiple days of food.

In-person learning currently remains in the Sikeston R-6 School District, but on Thursday Superintendent Dr. Tony Robinson released a letter to parents regarding the rise of COVID-19 cases in the district.

“We have seen a large increase in positive COVID cases within our district this past week,” Robinson said. “It has greatly affected our staff, which causes concern due to the necessity for more substitutes which are already scarce. This increase in staff positives has also caused more student contacts to a positive, thus student attendance is being affected.”

While its positive COVID cases were low, the school district maintained a plan to monitor staff and student attendance per building and as a district, the availability of substitutes, and multiple other variables in determining if the district needed to close a school or the entire school district, Robinson said.

One guideline is to see if a building’s staff is approaching a quarter of the certified staff being positive and if a building is approaching a quarter of its students being absent, the superintendent said.

“We are not focusing on just one of these variables, but all of these as a whole,” Robinson said. “We realize the amount of stress of closing a building or district has on parents and guardians and are doing everything we can as a district to prevent this. That being said, we feel it is our duty to prepare parents and guardians for the possibility of a closure if our numbers do not decrease soon.”

Robinson said the district has been and will continue to be vigilant with contact tracing, mask wearing, social distancing, sanitizing and hand washing protocols.

“We ask that all parents and guardians please reiterate social distancing and proper handwashing with your child(ren),” he said. “Most importantly, if your child exhibits any of these symptoms, please consider keeping your child home until they are symptom free for 24-48 hours: cough, difficulty breathing, loss of taste/smell, fever higher than 100.4F, congestion/runny nose, nausea/vomiting,diarrhea, sore throat, headache, body aches.”.