COVID-19 surge: Mason, Fairfield close Friday due to staffing shortages

UPDATED Jan. 13 5 p.m.: School districts across the Cincinnati region are announcing Friday closures due to increased staffing shortages. Nearly 30 local districts now are shut down or in remote learning due to shortages caused by COVID-19.

The latest to close: Mason, Fairfield, Lakota, Kings, Middletown, Monroe and Madison local school districts. This is in addition to nearly a third of the region's school districts going remote, including Cincinnati Public Schools, the largest district in the region and third-largest in the state.

Remote learning: Schools respond to COVID-19 surge with temporary mask mandates as well as remote learning

Mason City Schools was the largest district to announce a staffing crisis on Thursday. The district will close Friday and students will return to in-person learning after the holiday weekend, officials said, but with a new mask mandate through Jan. 28.

"Last week we shared that we had to combine some classes in school auditoriums, teachers were giving up their plan bells and lunches, and building and central office administrators were covering classes. Unfortunately, that increased this week and has necessitated closing school tomorrow," a districtwide message to families stated Thursday.

Lakota Local Schools did the same on Thursday.

"Since returning from winter break, we have shared with you our concerns about the high number of staff absences, lack of substitutes and the impact this is having on the daily operation of our buildings," Superintendent Matthew Miller wrote in a Thursday message to district families. "Unfortunately, the situation has not improved this week. In fact, it has become more widespread.

"We now have multiple buildings without a principal or assistant principal, as well as several schools without nurses. Our teacher and support staff absences without substitutes are in the high double digits. Absences are also impacting our custodial staff, child nutrition and, of course, busing."

What to know: Cincinnati Public Schools is moving to remote learning for the next two weeks

Talawanda School District is shifting its middle school to remote through the end of the week, too.

"We want our schools to stay open, but cannot keep the schools open (even with a mask mandate) if children continue to come to our schools knowingly sick," a message to Talawanda families reads. "We are close in each building to being forced to shut down."

Lockland Local Schools initially announced two days of remote learning, but on Tuesday extended the shift through the end of the week. Now officials say students will resume in-person after Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

One of the most pressing challenges for districts across the region is a lack of substitute teachers. Matt Wendeln, comprehensive substitute solutions program manager at Hamilton County Educational Service Center, said he has seen a 49% increase in the number of staff absences requiring a substitute in the six school days since returning from winter break, compared to the same period two years ago.

Enquirer survey: Urgent need for substitute teachers in Southwest Ohio, Northern Kentucky

Here is a list of schools currently using virtual learning in the Greater Cincinnati region.

NOTE: This list will be updated.

Southwest Ohio

• Cincinnati Public Schools will remain remote until Jan. 24, the board decided during a Monday board meeting.

• Fairfield City School District will be closed until Jan. 19, according to the district's website.

• Forest Hills School District will be remote on Jan. 18, according to a letter sent to district families Tuesday evening.

• Goshen middle and high schools will remain remote until Jan. 18, according to the district's website.

• Hamilton City School District will be closed until Jan. 18, according to the district's website.

• Kings Local Schools will be closed until Jan. 18, according to the district's website.

• Lakota Local Schools will be closed until Jan. 18, according tot he district's website.

• Lebanon High School will remain remote until Jan. 24, according to the district's website. Other schools in the district will remain in-person during that time.

• Little Miami Schools will be closed until Jan. 18, according to the district's website. High school students will remain remote through Jan. 20.

• Lockland Local School District will remain remote until Jan. 18, the district announced Tuesday.

• Loveland City School District will remain remote until Jan. 18, according to the district's website.

• Madison Local Schools will be closed until Jan. 18, according to the district's website.

• Mason City Schools will be closed until Jan. 18, according to a Thursday message from the district.

• Middletown City School District will be closed until Jan. 19, according to a Thursday message from the district.

• Monroe Local Schools will be closed until Jan. 18, according to the district's website.

• Mount Healthy City Schools will remain remote until Jan. 24, according to the district's website.

• New Richmond Exempted Village School District will remain remote until Jan. 18, according to the district's website.

• North College Hill City School District announced its middle and high schools will be remote until Jan. 18, according to the district's website. The district's elementary school will remain in person.

• Reading Community City School District will remain remote until Jan. 18, according to the district's website.

• Springboro Schools will be closed until Jan. 18, according to the district's website.

• Talawanda Middle School will remain remote until Jan. 18, according to the district's website.

• Three Rivers Local School District will remain remote until Jan. 18, according to the district's website.

• Wayne Local School District will remain remote until Jan. 18, according to the district's website.

• Winton Woods City Schools will remain remote until Jan. 24, according to the district's website.

Northern Kentucky

• Bellevue Independent Schools will remain remote until Jan. 24, according to the district's website.

• Covington Independent Schools will remain remote until Jan. 18, according to the district's website.

• Dayton Independent Schools will remain remote until Jan. 19, according to the district's website.

• Gallatin County Schools will be closed until Jan. 18, according to a district announcement.

• Newport Independent Schools will remain remote until Jan. 18, according to the district's website.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: COVID-19: Greater Cincinnati school districts move to remote learning