COLUMBUS, Ind. – In light of a rise in the community spread of COVID-19, the Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation (BCSC) recognizes the community’s interest in its process to determine when schools may switch from in-person learning to eLearning.
At least once per week, BCSC consults with representatives from Columbus Regional Health and the Bartholomew County Health Department to review updated COVID-19 metrics.
If a move to eLearning as the instructional model for students is needed, here is the outline of the process:
- School Board and staff members will be informed.
- An e-alert will be sent to notify students and families and a make-up day may be used to activate plans to move to eLearning.
- Online instruction will start the day after the make-up day. The eLearning model will be for an initial duration of three weeks.
- Near the conclusion of the three-week period, and after continued analysis of COVID-19 data, an announcement will be given regarding either a return to school or continuation of eLearning.
The COVID-19 Community Task Force website provides a centralized location of the information to every stakeholder in the community regarding the spread of COVID-19. However, having the data updated and posted there will not change the decision-making process for BCSC for opening or closing school and is not contradictory to the School Board’s approved Reopening Plan.
After the Columbus Educators Association requested more transparency late Sunday, the Task Force responded on Monday by saying its metrics replicate what BCSC has published and that it does not have the authority to open or close schools.
For the complete Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation statement, go here.