Coronavirus forces Richland 1 to return to virtual-only classes after winter break
Richland 1 school district will revert to online-only classes after winter break because of a rising number of coronavirus cases, a top official said Monday.
Schools will be online-only between Jan. 4, 2021, and Jan. 15, according to a letter Superintendent Craig Witherspoon sent to parents.
As coronavirus cases rise throughout the state and nationwide, the district was worried that students or employees would be exposed to COVID-19 during the holidays and bring it back to school, the letter said.
“We have to acknowledge the increases in COVID-19 incidence rates that have occurred in recent weeks. In addition, other factors such as staff availability cause us again to evaluate our plan at this time,” Witherspoon said in the letter.
Information on how families can receive meals will be posted on the district’s website, https://www.richlandone.org/
Hybrid classes , a mix of in-person and online classes, are expected to resume after Martin Luther King Day on Jan. 19, according to the letter.
“This is not an easy decision, but this adjustment allows us to maintain our focus on the safety of our students and staff,” Witherspoon said.
In response to Richland 1’s plans to move to online classes, EdVenture Children’s Museum in downtown Columbia will offer a program where parents can drop their children off during remote learning days, according to a release from the organization.
The program, called Eddie’s Study Studio, costs $195 per week and promises to keep children engaged in their virtual studies, according to the release.
That’s just under the average, weekly cost of childcare, according to Care.com, which places the national average weekly cost of childcare at $215.
EdVenture will use daily temperature checks, social distancing, “hospital-grade sanitizers” and will require mask-wearing to minimize the risk of spreading COVID-19, according to the release. Students will also be kept separate from museum guests.
The program is available to kindergarten through 5th grade students, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Parents can drop their children off as early as 7:15 a.m. After-school care — which costs $100 per week — is available on weekdays from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., the release said.
Those who want to register can go to https://www.edventure.org/eddies-study-studio.
Here are the number of coronavirus cases in Richland 1 schools in the last 30 days, according to data from the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control:
- A.C. Flora High: fewer than 5 student cases and fewer than 5 employee cases
- Alcorn Middle: fewer than 5 employee cases
- Carolina School for Inquiry: fewer than 5 student cases
- Dreher High: fewer than 5 student cases and fewer than 5 employee cases
- Gadsden Elementary: fewer than 5 student cases
- H.B. Rhame Elementary School: fewer than 5 employee cases
- Hand Middle: fewer than 5 student cases
- Heyward Career and Technical Center: fewer than 5 employee cases
- Hopkins Elementary: fewer than 5 employee cases
- Horrell Hill Elementary: fewer than 5 student cases
- Hyatt Park Elementary: fewer than 5 employee cases
- J.P. Thomas Elementary: fewer than 5 employee cases
- Lower Richland High: fewer than 5 student cases
- Meadowfield Elementary: fewer than 5 student cases and fewer than 5 employee cases
- Satchel Ford Elementary: fewer than 5 employee cases
- W.A. Perry Middle: fewer than 5 student cases
This story was originally published December 14, 2020 at 11:15 AM.