Isle of Wight elementary schools to hold in-person classes five days a week
Students in pre-K through fifth grade will be able to go to school five days a week starting next week, Isle of Wight Schools announced Monday.
It’s one of the most aggressive in-person learning models in Hampton Roads, similar to Chesapeake schools - where elementary school students have gone to school five days a week since Jan. 19.
In an announcement Monday, Isle of Wight said they had been watching quarantine and case data since Jan. 28 while evaluating if its possible to increase the amount of time students spend in school.
Monday was the district’s self-imposed deadline to make an announcement. During that period, the district also replaced its tables in elementary schools with desks to allow for more social distancing.
According to the district’s COVID-19 dashboard, there have been 35 student cases and 6 staff cases since Jan. 11. Schools in the county re-opened for in-person instruction Jan. 19 after a two-week pause following winter break.
Last week, 41 students and 10 staff members were quarantined. But the district says it has had no outbreaks and no incidents in which coronavirus was transmitted between students or staff.
Five-day-a-week, in-person classes for elementary grades will start Tuesday. Students who opted out of in-person instruction will stay online.
Middle and high school students will continue to go in-person two days a week. The district said it will continue to monitor data and consider adding additional grades in the future.
Matt Jones, 757-247-4729, mjones@dailypress.com
