Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. officials detailed how dire the impacts of COVID-19 have been on the school corporation and the community as they confirmed students will return to eLearning on Monday.
BCSC and the local COVID-19 Community Task Force held a press conference Friday morning at BCSC administrative offices, where Superintendent Jim Roberts gave more information about eLearning and answered questions. Dr. Brian Niedbalski, Bartholomew County Health Officer, also announced that Bartholomew County will be moving back into Stage 4.5 of the governor’s reopening plan for the next four weeks.
The school corporation plans to remain on eLearning through Nov. 24, when the status of COVID-19 impacts will be re-evaluated. The school corporation’s plan is to return to the in-person/remote option model on Nov. 30, but the level of community spread will be closely monitored in order to make a final determination on a return date prior to Thanksgiving, Roberts said.
Since Aug. 10, the school corporation has had 106 positive cases of COVID-19, school officials said in updated numbers Friday afternoon. Out of these, 70 have been students, 25 have been staff and 11 have been teachers. These totals include those working or learning remotely.
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COVID-19 has also caused some logistical issues. Positive cases and their resulting close contacts — both inside the school corporation and throughout the larger community — have caused problems with bus transportation and staffing.
“Yesterday, we were 23 bus drivers short of covering our routes,” Roberts said, referring to Thursday. “… We had 21 classrooms without the proper staff in them, and that’s even after taking the internal resources we had and putting them toward those classrooms.”
As BCSC headed into Friday, the number of classrooms without an available teacher had reached 29.
While the school board recently approved a hybrid learning model that could be used in the event of increased spread, Roberts said that implementing the model would not address staffing issues.
“We need the same number of staff members in our buildings to support that model, and that becomes our major problem,” he said.
Transportation
During eLearning, BCSC will not be running its regular bus routes, Roberts said. However, some bus services will be offered for C4 classes, which require “a certain amount of in-person instruction,” and for other students who may need in-person services, such as special needs students or English Language Learners.
BCSC provides bus transportation for private school students in Bartholomew County, who will be affected by the school corporation’s move to eLearning.
St. Bartholomew Catholic School announced it will also move to eLearning from Monday to Nov. 24, according to an announcement from Principal Helen Heckman. While community spread was the main reason for the decision, Heckman also listed BCSC bus service among other factors. More than 50 St. Bartholomew students regularly ride BCSC buses and many have no other transportation options, she said.
However, St. Peter’s Lutheran School and White Creek Lutheran, which also have some students who rely on BCSC bus service, will continue to offer in-person learning, according to school officials.
C4 plans
C4 posted on its Facebook that all of its classes will continue their regular block schedule during BCSC eLearning, except for:
Advanced Child Development
All business classes
Introductory classes
Sports and Nutrition
Preparing for College and Careers
Medical Terminology
Principles of Biomedical Systems
BCSC bus service will not run Monday or Tuesday and that “modified busing options will be in place starting Wednesday,” according to the social media posts.
School services
Roberts said that i-CARE services will be available, but registration will be required and capacity will be limited.
In addition, school breakfasts and lunches can be picked up at any school site between 11 a.m to 1 p.m. on school days, effect Monday through Nov. 24. Meals are free of charge for anyone under the age of 18.
Meals will also be brought via school bus to the following locations between 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. each day of eLearning:
BCSC Administration Building (at the corner of Cottage Avenue and 12th Street)
Heritage Heights (at the clubhouse and pool)
Candlelight Village (at the clubhouse and intersection of Longshore Drive and Rosewood Lane)
Shadow Creek Farms (at the clubhouse)
Garden City Mobile Home Park
A breakfast and lunch meal will be provided in each sack. Questions can be directed to BCSC Food Service at 812-376-4462.
Internet access
BCSC has Verizon hotspots available for families without internet access at home. Those in need of hotspots may call the hotline at 812-418-0252 or email [email protected] to schedule pickup.
Roberts also said that community help, in regards to providing internet access, would also be appreciated.
Chris Schilling, communications coordinator for Ivy Tech Community College — Columbus, said that free Wi-fi is available in the college’s parking lot and that “younger students in the community are welcome to use it.”
Ivy Tech Community College — Columbus is located at 4475 Central Ave. on Columbus’ north side.
Extracurriculars
BCSC is allowing co-curricular and extracurricular activities to continue, Roberts said Friday. “However, we are very much dialing back on the amount of people who can attend those events.” For example, there may be a “two ticket” limit per student for these events.
He said this includes not only athletics, but also other extracurricular events, such as Columbus East High School’s production of the play “Molly’s Hammer,” which is still set to open this weekend.
However, a public open house for the school’s newly renovated auditorium, originally scheduled for Monday, has been postponed.
Roberts said that so far, BCSC hasn’t seen any “super-spreaders” occur due to school events.
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BCSC has released a statement regarding eLearning, which can be viewed at bcscschools.org. A YouTube link to video of the press conference is also available at that site. Superintendent Jim Roberts said that further updates would be released both on the website and social media as more information becomes available.
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St. Bartholomew Catholic School will move to eLearning from Monday to Nov. 24, according to a letter sent out to parents from Principal Helen Heckman.
The following schools and school corporations will continue to offer in-person learning:
- Flat-Rock Hawcreek School Corp.
- Columbus Christian School
- ABC-Stewart School
- St. Peter’s Lutheran School
- White Creek Lutheran School
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No changes are planned for IUPUC or the J. Irwin Miller Architecture Program through IU Bloomington, according to IU director of media relations Chuck Carney.
IUPUC’s current academic calendar shows that 16-week classes will move online after Thanksgiving break. Fall classes will end Dec. 14. IUPUC’s reopening plan states that the spring semester will begin Jan. 19 with online classes until Feb. 8, when blended instruction will resume.
Communications coordinator for Ivy Tech Community College Columbus Chris Schilling, said, “Ivy Tech Columbus has conducted a majority of its classes online or virtually this fall semester. We will continue to do so. In the instances when students are on campus, such as to use one of our simulation labs, safety is a top priority. Masks are required on campus, and classrooms and labs are organized to maintain social distancing. We also are continually cleaning and sanitizing common areas throughout the day.”
Joe Fuehne, director at Purdue Polytechnic Columbus, said that there are no plans to change the current instruction mode.
“We have no plans to change our mode of instruction," he said. "We will continue with a hybrid model that includes some face-to-face instruction and some virtual instruction until Thanksgiving. After Thanksgiving, we will be 100% virtual until the end of the semester on Dec. 12.”
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BCSC reported Friday afternoon that since Aug. 10, the school corporation has had 106 positive cases of COVID-19. Out of these, 70 have been students, 25 have been staff and 11 have been teachers. These totals include those working or learning remotely.
The cases are as follows, by building:
- Administration: Three staff members (3 total)
- Busy Bees: Two staff, two teachers (4 total)
- Central: Three students (3 total)
- Clifty Creek: Two students, three staff, two teachers (7 total)
- CSA Fodrea: One student, one staff, one teacher (3 total)
- CSA Lincoln: Three students (3 total)
- CSA New Tech: Three students, one staff (4 total)
- Columbus East: 17 students, six staff, one teacher (24 total)
- McDowell/Bright Beginnings: Two students (2 total)
- Mt. Healthy: Three students, one teacher (4 total)
- Columbus North: 17 students and two teachers (19 total)
- Northside: Five students (5 total)
- Parkside: Three students and one staff (4 total)
- Richards: Six students and one staff (7 total)
- Rockcreek: One staff and one teacher (2 total)
- Schmitt: One staff (1 total)
- Smith: Two students, one staff, one teacher (4 total)
- Southside: Three staff (3 total)
- Transportation and maintenance: One staff (One total)
- Taylorsville: Two students and one staff (3 total)
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