UPDATE: Estill County delays in person classes, still in red zone

Steve Rogers,

UPDATE, POSTED 4:15 P.M. SEPT. 24, 2020

ESTILL COUNTY, Ky. (WTVQ) – The Estill County Board of Education has decided to hold off on in-person classes until October.

The decision comes after the county remained in the red zone.

The board posted the following post on it’s Facebook page:

“All Estill County Schools continue to follow “Healthy at School” guidelines and do everything in our power to ensure the safest environment possible for students and staff. The District is happy to report that we have had no new COVID-19 cases reported this week among our staff members. Hopefully, we are learning some valuable lessons that will help us protect our students when they return to school.
Next week we will be adding a new resource to our district website that will keep our parents and community up-to-date with total number of cases for our students and staff members. It will also let you know about their close contacts and the number of individual that have been placed in quarantine.
As discussed last week, we received new guidance for the start of in-person classes from the Kentucky Department of Public Health and our local Health Department. The State reporting metric determined that Estill County has had a pretty significant spike in COVID-19 cases and the Average Daily Cases per 100K Population was 32.4 last Wednesday and this number has increased since then with an average somewhere around 50 cases per 100K. This places our district firmly in the RED Status and guidance tells us that we must be below 25 cases per 100K population.
With this information in hand and with guidance from the ECHD, the Board made the unanimous decision to continue with Remote Learning until October 14th. Fall Break is scheduled for October 15th and 16th, so we will return to in-person classes on October 19th using the Hybrid Schedule as we originally planned.
We understand that there are several students and families struggling with remote instruction. This fall has been a lot better than it was last spring, but students not having interaction with a teacher and their classmates is a very important part of the educational process. Our schools will continuing their efforts to meet the needs of all our students and families. If you need assistance, please call them. We are also available here at the Central Office to assist you as well.
Now more than ever, it is important that our entire community follow all CDC Guidance and please wear a face covering. Our staff is anxiously waiting for the return of our students, so help us get this outbreak under control. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Erika Adams, District Health Coordinator, Teresa Dawes, Public Relations or Jeff Saylor, Superintendent.”

UPDATE, POSTED 4 P.M. SEPT. 21, 2020

ESTILL/JACKSON COUNTIES, Ky. (WTVQ) – Estill County remains in the ‘red’ in the latest updated statewide coronavirus rating system but Jackson County has improved slightly, slipping back into ‘yellow’ in the new map that was posted Sunday night.

Jackson’s rate of coronavirus cases per 100,000 population fell from 27.9 Thursday to 23.6, just under the 25 that is the minimum threshold for ‘red’ in the state’s color-coded system that provides guidance and recommendations for school districts about in-person ad online instruction.

The 23.6 is in the ‘orange’ category where school districts should use caution and take extra steps if they opt to do in-person classes.

Districts in ‘red’ should not do in-person teaching.

Estill County went the other direction, going from 28.4 last week to 51.7 per 100,000.

Neither district has changed the positions they announced Friday in terms of their plans for classes.

Estill and Jackson counties are surrounded by a variety of ratings. Madison, which is just west of Estill, is 24.1, Fayette is 20.1. Meanwhile, Powell, is 5.8, Lee is 5.8 and Clark is 5.1. And Wolfe and Owsley are 0.

ORIGINAL STORY POSTED 3 P.M. FRIDAY, SEPT. 18, 2020

ESTILL/JACKSON COUNTIES, Ky. (WTVQ) – Two Eastern Kentucky school districts are closely monitoring the possible return to in-person schools after becoming among the first in the state to fall into the ‘red’ category in the state;’s new school guidance matrix.

Estill County recorded a rate of 28.4 coronavirus cases per 100,000 population and adjacent Jackson County a rate of 27.9.

Any rate above 25 per 100,000 lands i the ‘red’ category and advises school districts not to have in-person learning.

The latest numbers were posted Thursday afternoon and Friday, both districts took action.

Click map to enlarge

“Due to the county’s high COVID-19 numbers, the Estill County School District has suspended all athletics — contests, and practice — for a minimum of one week. This is effective beginning Sunday, Sept. 20. On Sept. 24, the district will make determination in regards for the week of Sept. 28. This is in compliance with guidelines from the KY Dept. of Education and the Estill County Health Department,” the Estill County school district posted Friday afternoon.

“In cooperation with the Estill County Health Department, using the guidelines set forth in the COVID-19 Mode of Instruction Metrics for K-12 Education, the Estill County Board of Education voted to delay in person instruction until October 19th. This is due to Estill County’s current COVID-19 incidence rate (see map),” the district continued.

The district originally offered students a choice of some in-person and some remote classes or all virtual classes. But in August, the district delayed in-person classes until Sept. 28 as did many districts across the state. Classes started Aug. 24 all virtual.

Meanwhile, Jackson County school leaders said Friday morning they will monitor the situation.

“The Kentucky Department of Health through the Kentucky Department of Education, has furnished a COVID-19 Mode of Instruction Metric for K-12 Education that will be used to guide school districts in their decision to re-open with the traditional in-school model or continue with virtual learning only. The metric is based on the number of cases per 100,000 people daily. This is another tool that will help school districts to make an informed decision concerning returning to traditional in-person instruction. As of September 17, 2020, Jackson County’s rate of COVID-19 incidence is currently at the red level (critical) according to the metric. If our county remains at this level, we could only offer remote/virtual learning only; we are very hopeful and optimistic that the rate will decrease to an acceptable level on the metric, so that we can return to traditional in-person instruction, as one of our learning options. Now, more than ever, it is important that our entire community follow the Center for Disease Control (CDC) Guidance and please wear a face covering,” the district said.

The state announced the four-tier, color-coded system earlier this week as a way to meet districts’ request for more local control, flexibility and decision-making.

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