Teachers return to school next week

Teachers return to school next week

Posted

Teachers in the Madison County School District head back to work next week prepping for a Sept. 3 virtual start that will transition to in-person.

Superintendent of Education Charlotte Seals announced on Wednesday that the district has acquired a technology device (tablet/laptop) for every student in K-12.

Seals is asking parents and students to remain vigilant over the next two weeks to help ensure that once school starts back in person it isn’t canceled later in the term.

“Please, please remember to wear your mask, wash your hands and watch your distance,” she told parents and students in a video.

State Medical Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs on Wednesday announced that 1,970 students and 328 teachers and staff are quarantined across the state.

“Some schools will have to close temporarily,” he said. “It’s inevitable.”

Canton Public Schools moved to virtual-only for the foreseeable future. Area private schools began classes for the last two weeks.

As state high schools also gear up for the football season set to begin in a few weeks, an executive order by Gov. Tate Reeves will limit the number of spectators to avoid large crowds at K-12 extracurricular activities.

Reeves amended the Safe Return order, placing an attendance cap on all K-12 extracurricular activities, such as football and band concerts, to no more than two spectators per participant. Each extracurricular event must have a dedicated Safety Officer to ensure all social distancing measures are followed as well.

“Sports and these other activities are instrumental in the lives of our young Mississippians. They teach discipline and responsibility in a way that can’t be replicated,” said Governor Tate Reeves at his press briefing Friday. “That said, we are living through a pandemic. One of my greatest concerns heading into this school season has been sports and those other events which cause the community to come out in crowds. Twenty-two players on a field are not going to overwhelm a local hospital. Two thousand people in a small school’s bleachers might.”

Gov. Reeves said on Monday the state peaked on July 29, but Mississippians shouldn’t let their guard down or it would return like it did in June.

On Wednesday, Reeves said the state’s numbers were “bad” and hopefully not a trend after the total came back over 1,300.

Mississippi had its highest daily case numbers peak over 1,600 near the end of July. Over the weekend, the number of new reported cases was a couple hundred until Wednesday when the daily case count released was 1,348.

The infection rate in Madison County continues to increase, with 173 cases reported in the last week. The prior seven days only saw an increase of 126 cases. The total here now is 2,662.

On Wednesday, the Mississippi State Department of Health announced 1,348 new cases of COVID-19, along with 36 new deaths.

In total, 73,207 Mississippians have either been confirmed or presumed to have COVID-19, with 2,128 total deaths.

The state remains under a mandatory mask order issued by Gov. Tate Reeves until Aug. 31, in the latest attempt to slow the spread of the virus.

As of Wednesday, the state reported 75 COVID-related deaths in Madison County, up three from 72 last week. There have been 214 cases in long-term care facilities and 37 deaths.

The MSDH is reporting statewide that hospitalizations have declined from 956 to 929 since last week, with ICU patients down from 325 to 284. Ventilator usage dropped from 196 to 163.

The MSDH is estimated that 56,577 are presumed to have recovered from COVID-19.

Dobbs said the state’s healthcare system has made great strides over the last month but the state faces a “monumental” challenge this fall with schools and colleges resuming.

“We are improved,” he said.






Powered by Creative Circle Media Solutions