Johnson County schools bring more students back to classrooms amid COVID-19
Johnson County districts are better equipped to staff schools despite shortages caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, leaders say, meaning they are ready to bring more students back into classrooms.
After Thanksgiving, middle and high school students transitioned back to online-only classes as coronavirus cases reached record highs. Some districts, like Shawnee Mission, reported staffing and substitute teacher shortages, which were made worse by a growing number of employees in quarantine. Administrators worried they wouldn’t be able to keep school doors open.
But after a period of remote learning for many students followed by winter break, district leaders say they are more confident that older students can return to classrooms, at least part time.
On Wednesday, middle and high schoolers in the Olathe district began a hybrid learning schedule, where they learn in person part of the time and online for the rest of the week. Elementary students continue to learn in person, full time, in all of Johnson County’s districts.
Shawnee Mission Superintendent Mike Fulton announced on Tuesday that older students will return to classrooms part time on Jan. 26.
“The district is able to return to in-person instruction for secondary students due to success in preventing COVID-19 transmission in schools and an increase in staffing capacity through the hiring of December graduates,” Fulton wrote in a letter to parents.
Middle and high school students in Blue Valley also will move to a hybrid learning model at the start of the second semester on Jan. 19. In the De Soto district, secondary students return to classrooms part time on Jan. 20.
Johnson County continues to report widespread COVID-19 transmission.
On Tuesday, Johnson County public health director Sanmi Areola said that the county reported 2,045 new COVID-19 infections last week. That is up from 1,561 the week prior.
That means the county is seeing roughly 292 new infections on average each day — more than double what was the highest number for three months, he said.
On Wednesday, the county’s positivity rate — or the number of positive cases in the past 14 days — was 12%. That metric combined with the incidence rate — or the number of new cases per 100,000 people, which was 606 on Wednesday — puts the county in the “red” zone.
This story was originally published January 6, 2021 at 11:54 AM.
