Two schools switching to remote learning

In response to rising cases of the novel coronavirus pandemic in the school district, Painesville City Schools, have decided to switch Heritage Middle School and Harvey High School to remote learning.

Heritage switched to remote learning on Nov. 9 as the school was closed that day for contact tracing. Harvey switched on Nov. 10.

“We have to take a step back right now,” said Superintendent John Englehart. “This sudden influx of cases in what we’re seeing completely overwhelms the system.”

Before last week, Englehart said the district had six cumulative cases. However, as of this week, he said there has been a sudden increase.

“Last week we had eight cases

identified,” he said. “So far this week we have an additional eight cases.”

In addition to a rise of cases, Englehart said some teachers must quarantine because of exposure to the virus either within the school district or from someone they encountered outside the district.

“That’s somebody who is out for two weeks,” he said. “The more of those circumstances that you have, all of a sudden you’re looking around saying, ‘I can’t staff my school.’”

Prior to the recent increase i n cases i n the county, Englehart said the Lake County General Health District has been “extremely helpful” and generally assists the school district with contact tracing. But recent coronavirus surges in the area have caused the health district to become “absolutely swamped.”

“Their capacity to assist us is limited right now,” he said.

“We get in the case where we start tracing contacts, and if we can’t get it done very quickly and very efficiently, then we can’t open the doors because we don’t know that we’ve identified everyone who has possibly been exposed.”

The elementary schools in the district will remain open as Englehart said those schools have not seen any cases since the recent outbreak.

“As we look at the condition and we look at the data across our three elementary schools, so far this year we have only had three cumulative cases identified,” he said.

Englehart also said the elementary schools have not had a case since September.

As of now, the superintendent said Heritage and Harvey plan to return to in-class sessions on Nov. 30 but there is a chance the date extends.

“We’re having a lot of anxiety about what the holidays are going to bring,” he said. “We’re going to have to evaluate the conditions at that time and make another call.”

In preparation for possible l ong-term remote learning, before the school year, Englehart said teachers prepared in case a situation ensued where the schools switched to remote learning.

“We’re well prepared to make that switch suddenly,” he said.

“Our teachers have just put a lot of a lot of hard work into being ready for that.”

We get in the case where we start tracing contacts, and if we can’t get it done very quickly and very efficiently, then we can’t open the doors because we don’t know that we’ve identified everyone who has possibly been exposed.” — John Englehart, superintendent of Painesville City Schools