Chance of reopening in-person school in Horry increasing as coronavirus cases dropping
Horry County Schools is set to begin its school year in a month, and a recent reduction in local coronavirus activity could mean some students are in the classroom when it does.
The district’s reopening plan, which was approved Monday by the South Carolina Department of Education, will use state health metrics to determine when and how frequently students are allowed inside school buildings once classes begin Sept. 8.
The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control releases a report every Monday examining disease activity in each county based on COVID-19 cases by population, trends and percent positive for a two-week period.
Horry County, along with every other county in South Carolina currently rates as high for virus activity, which would mean all instruction must be held remotely. Counties with medium activity will have hybrid schedules with students split into two groups, and each group going to school two days per week with distance learning the other three days. Counties with low activity will return to full, face-to-face instruction.
Though the county’s overall rating remains high, Horry County is rate low for trend, indicating new cases have been declining during the past two weeks, and the incidence rate and positive percentage both moved closer toward medium this week.
The county’s incidence rate, which measures cases per 100,000 residents, fell by more than 100 from 383.6 in last week’s report to 271.7. A similar drop during the next three weeks — the district will reopen to students based on DHEC’s Aug. 31 report — would move it into medium status, which is defined by DHEC as between 51-200.
The county’s percent positive, meanwhile, fell from 17.7% to 14.3% and needs to drop below 10% to be considered medium.
All HCS teachers and staff are expected to report daily to the classrooms and buildings assignments regardless of disease activity, according to the district’s plan.
Parents have the option to enroll their students in the traditional brick-and-mortar option, which will allow students to return based on DHEC’s metrics, or a full-time virtual school, which requires at least a full semester commitment.
District staff reported during last week’s board meeting that about 7,000 parents have responded to a survey indicating interest in the virtual program.
