Clearview Local Schools to return to virtual learning for rest of semester

Due to a significant increase in positive novel coronavirus cases, Clearview Local Schools has chosen to transition to complete virtual learning for the rest of the semester.

The announcement comes after Durling Middle School went completely remote this week due to lack of substitutes and an increase of staff cases, Clearview officials said.

All student enrolled in the district’s hybrid program will learn remotely starting Nov. 23 and continue through Dec. 18.

Superintendent Jerome Davis said this lack of substitutes has begun impacting all schools in the district, as well as a noticeable increase in students absences.

Since the district relies on a substitute teacher staffing agency to find substitutes, it is difficult to foresee future substitute staffing issues, Davis said.

“It’s not just us,” he said. “It’s affecting other districts as well.”

Since the closure of Durling, district COVID-19 cases remain similar to what they were recorded as on Nov. 13.

Now, Clearview High School has a recorded four positive cases and 44 quarantined cases; Durling at five positive and 14 quarantined; Vincent Elementary School at five quarantined; and one positive and one quarantined in the Board of Education office, according to the district website’s COVID-19 dashboard.

Between Nov. 13 and Nov. 18, one positive case at the High School and two positive cases at the district’s bus garage were the newest reported cases.

Davis said the main issue lies in positive cases from staff members, as student cases are relatively low.

However, students are mainly affected because they are required to quarantine after coming in contact with a positive case.

“We’ve had students quarantine, but we haven’t had a whole lot of student cases,” Davis said. “Those are very low numbers.”

As for the next semester, the district is working to see if a return to a hybrid schedule is possible.

Davis said the district sent out a survey to district parents, which came back with 50/50 results.

“It was ... fairly even as far as how many parents want hybrid and how many want to maintain 100 percent virtual,” he said.

Unless something drastic changes regarding the pandemic by Jan. 5, Davis said the hybrid plan will resume.