All grades in Hamilton County will switch to hybrid attendance

Hamilton County Schools announced Monday that all grades will transition to a hybrid learning schedule for at least two weeks due to rising COVID-19 cases in the Chattanooga area.

A Phase 2 learning schedule will be adopted for Dec. 7-18, which means students will be physically in class two days a week and online for the other three days of learning, according to the district. The shift back to Phase 2 will be the first total countywide COVID-19 related change in instruction since the district moved to Phase 3 on Aug. 31.

Students in K- 8 will remain in Phase 3, attending school in person five days a week, until Friday, Dec. 4, before transitioning to the hybrid model.

Prior to Thanksgiving, the school system announced a shift for high schools to Phase 2, citing the local surge in cases, but said a decision about lower grades would be made after the holiday break.

As of Monday the school district’s website stated that the county averaged 2,163 active COVID- 19 cases in the past five days, and Phase 2 is designated by the HCS Reentry and Continuous Learning Plan as between 1,840 and 2,570 active cases.

The county’s COVID-19 tracker dashboard states there are now 56 active student cases and 47 active employee cases, with 1,114 across the district awaiting test results or described as “close cases.”

According to the news release, the district will also continue to offer support to families who face difficulties with online learning. Various community partners help run virtual learning centers countywide where students can sign up to be supervised by volunteers and staff while attending online classes away from school campuses.

The school system said the district will announce plans for the second semester on Dec. 18, right before students go on their winter break for the holidays.