Horry County Schools to consider all online instruction as coronavirus cases increase
Horry County Schools have been able to operate partial in-person classes for the first month of the school year, but a recent increase in local coronavirus cases puts that in jeopardy.
The district’s reopening plan specified that instruction for brick-and-mortar students will be based on a weekly state Department of Health and Environmental Control report that examines COVID-19 activity in each county.
Horry County has been classified as medium spread for more than a month, which allowed the district to operate with a hybrid schedule, according to its plan, with students split into two groups and each attending in-person classes twice per week.
But Thursday’s report now lists Horry with high spread, which means all learning should be held remotely, per the district’s plan, beginning on Oct. 19.
But in a Facebook post Thursday, the school district would not commit to switching to an entirely virtual model on any specific date, stating:
“As announced previously, the hybrid instructional model will remain in effect for HCS for the week of October 12th through 16th. We will continue to monitor the number of cases within the school district and will consider the October 15th SC DHEC weekly disease activity report as it relates to the district’s future operational status.”
While the number of new cases based on population — about 165 per 100,000 residents during the past two weeks — would be considered medium, that rate has risen by more than 10 percent, and about 14 percent of people tested in the county during that time frame have received positive results.
HCS officials have engaged in early discussions about purchasing plexiglass to outfit students’ desks in an effort to return to full, in-person classes, but Superintendent Rick Maxey specified that process will take some time.
Based on the current reopening plan, DHEC data would have to show Horry County with low spread for students to return five days per week. Teachers and staff are required to report to their building assignments regardless of spread level.
Based on the district’s COVID-19 case dashboard, 15 students and 16 staff members have tested positive within the past week.
This story was originally published October 8, 2020 at 3:12 PM.
