More Johnson County students to return to classrooms full-time as COVID-19 cases rise
Johnson County’s largest school districts have announced plans to allow elementary students back in classrooms full-time, in a school year drastically altered by the COVID-19 pandemic.
On Wednesday, officials in the Olathe district said that elementary and early childhood students will return to full-time, in-person learning starting Sept. 28. Blue Valley officials plan to bring elementary students back to classrooms, five days a week, starting Oct. 5.
And last week, Shawnee Mission Superintendent Mike Fulton announced plans to slowly bring grade school students back into classrooms next month.
In Blue Valley and Olathe, elementary students started the school year in a hybrid model, going to class for part of the week and learning remotely for the rest. Shawnee Mission is the only district in Johnson County that required them to learn online for the start of the school year.
Under school reopening criteria released by the Johnson County health department, the county is in the “red” zone with a high rate of spread of coronavirus. In that zone, health officials recommend that older students learn online, but they do advise districts that elementary students could return.
Officials point to research showing that younger children are less likely to transmit the virus. In addition, the officials said, “most young children are unable to stay home safely by themselves.”
The county continues to report high spread of coronavirus. Last week, Johnson County reported 628 new cases, or roughly 90 new infections each day. The positivity rate, or the number of positive tests over the past 14 days, is 12.1%. That rate would need to be lower than 10% for health officials to recommend older students return to class in a hybrid model. If the rate is lower than 5%, all students could go back full time.
The three largest districts have slightly different approaches for allowing their students back in schools. Olathe students will begin full-time, in-person classes first.
“Elementary students and staff will continue to follow safety guidelines, including wearing a mask, washing hands regularly and social distancing to the greatest extent possible,” Olathe officials said in an email. “District staff continue to study data and the Board of Education will consider plans for middle and high school learning at the October 1 Board of Education meeting.”
In Blue Valley’s announcement, Superintendent Tonya Merrigan said that elementary students returning to classrooms on Oct. 5 is contingent on the district falling in the “yellow” or “orange” zones under Kansas’ school reopening criteria, which is slightly different from Johnson County’s. In those zones, health officials advise that elementary students can return to schools, while older students should learn online.
In Shawnee Mission, Fulton said that all students will continue learning remotely through Oct. 2. After that, elementary students will slowly be reintroduced into classrooms. First, they’ll learn in a hybrid model, going to class part of the week and learning at home the rest. By Oct. 19, district officials hope that elementary students will be allowed to fully return to class.
This story was originally published September 16, 2020 at 1:13 PM.
