Goshen Community Schools announced it will continue full virtual instruction for upper-level students when the new semester starts on Jan. 6. The move is due to Elkhart County’s sustained red status on the state’s county-by-county COVID-19 map.
Goshen students grades 7-12 will remain on the all-virtual learning plan until Jan. 19.
A release from the school system says if Elkhart County doesn’t return to the orange designation on the state’s COVID-19 map by then, virtual instruction may be extended further.
Upper-level students originally moved to all-virtual learning on Nov. 16 due to student and teacher absences.
School officials hope that waiting until mid-January to reassess the situation will allow COVID-19 numbers to stabilize after a possible post-holiday spike.
Students grades K-6 will have the option to continue with in-person instruction when the new semester starts on January 6th. Parents will be notified of any changes to the learning plans.
(You can read the full release in English and Spanish below.)
Elkhart County returned to the “red” category this week according to the state color-coded system. Local hospitals are still working at or over capacity, and the coronavirus has not subsided. Because of this, GCS now plans to extend Course V (virtual classes) for all students in grades 7-12 through January 19, 2021 (returning to class on Jan. 19th). It is our hope that even if conditions spike after the holidays, waiting until mid-January to reassess will allow conditions to stabilize and allow our secondary students to return to in-person classes. If Elkhart County has not returned to the “orange” category by January 19, then students in grades 7-12 may continue with virtual instruction.
Students in grades K-6 will continue with in-school instruction after the holiday break (returning to school on January 6, 2021) unless parents are specifically informed of a change in Course via ParentSquare.
The same will be true to Merit Learning Center. They will return to school on Jan. 6 and will attend school five days/week.
Our goal is to get students back into classrooms as soon as it is safe, and we will bring secondary students and teachers back together as soon as it is wise to do so. If you have questions or concerns about any of this information, you may call the Central Office at 574-533-8631.
Esta semana, el Condado Elkhart regresó a la categoría "rojo" de acuerdo con el sistema estatal de códigos de colores. Los hospitales locales se encuentran al máximo o por encima de su capacidad, y el coronavirus no ha disminuido. Debido a esto, la Corporación Escolar de Goshen ha decidido extender el Curso V (clases virtuales) para todos los estudiantes de 7º a 12º grado hasta el 15 de enero de 2021. El 19 de enero regresarán a la modalidad presencial (en la escuela), puesto que el 18 de enero es día festivo. Incluso si la gravedad de la situación aumentara después de las vacaciones, esperar hasta mediados de enero para reevaluar el escenario permitirá que la situación se estabilice, y de esta manera, permita que nuestros estudiantes de secundaria y preparatoria regresen a clases presenciales. Si el Condado Elkhart no ha regresado a la categoría “naranja” para el 19 de enero, los estudiantes de 7º a 12º grado continuarán tomando clases en la modalidad virtual.
Los estudiantes de jardín de niños a 6º grado continuarán tomando clases en la modalidad presencial (en la escuela) después de las vacaciones, a partir del 6 de enero de 2021, a menos que las madres y los padres sean informadas(os) específicamente sobre un cambio de curso por medio de ParentSquare.
Lo mismo ocurrirá con Merit Learning Center. Los estudiantes regresarán a la escuela el 6 de enero y asistirán a la escuela cinco días a la semana.
Nuestra meta es lograr que las y los estudiantes regresen a los salones de clases tan pronto como sea seguro. Reuniremos a las y los estudiantes y maestras(os) de secundaria y preparatoria tan pronto como sea prudente hacerlo. En caso de tener preguntas o inquietudes sobre esta información, llame a la oficina central al 574-533-8631.
Contact Gemma atgdicarlo@wvpe.orgor follow her on Twitter at@gemma_dicarlo.
If you appreciate this kind of journalism on your local NPR station, please support it by donatinghere.
