Kernville schools pivoting to distance learning until January amid virus surge

Kernville Union Elementary School District announced that its elementary and special education students who had returned for in-person learning would be returning to distance learning after Thanksgiving break.

Students will stay in distance learning through Monday, Jan. 18, according to Superintendent Steven Martinez. He cited “the recent increase in COVID-19 cases in Kern County and the Kern River Valley.”

“We understand the burden this places on our families and staff; however, the health of our students and staff is our top priority,” he wrote.

Under state guidelines, schools that offer in-person learning and services must switch back to distance learning if 5 percent of students and staff on a campus are diagnosed with COVID-19 but that hasn’t happened in this case, Martinez said.

General education middle school students had not yet reported back for in-person learning. The district plans to bring them back at the end of the second trimester, Feb. 19.

Kernville Union Elementary School District draws students from Lake Isabella, Wofford Heights, Bodfish and Kernville, communities that have all seen a recent spike in COVID-19 rates, like many areas in Kern County.

According to the Kern County Public Health dashboard, about 0.41 percent to 0.63 percent of the residents of these communities have current COVID infections. Mountain communities that have been spared of spikes are beginning to experience almost as many cases as they’ve seen since the pandemic started. For instance, of the 73 cases in Lake Isabella since the county began counting, 33 of those cases are current, meaning not recovered or presumed recovered.

Bakersfield City School District, which had only returned vulnerable students in small cohorts, also announced it would switch to distance learning. Bakersfield Christian High School, which brought back its entire school, also switched to distance learning. Neither announced an intended return date.