Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools is now firmly on track to return students to in-classroom learning this month given a fast-moving staff vaccination schedule and falling COVID-19 cases, the School Board heard Tuesday.
Last month, the division revised its “return to learn” program as coronavirus cases spiked, pushing back in-person learning. However, senior staff expressed confidence in the new timetable which would see a phased return of students to buildings from the week of Feb. 16 to the week of March 8.
Superintendent Olwen Herron suggested staff vaccinations are a “game-changer,” signaling an end to the uncertainty of the last few months when some grades returned to classrooms only to be sent back home again to learn virtually when COVID-19 cases spiked in Williamsburg and James City County.
Herron indicated every staff member who wants a vaccination will have their first inoculation by the time students return to classrooms.
“We are very confident we will be able to stick with the dates that are currently advertised,” Herron said.
“The (COVID) data has been decreasing every day now for about six days. The vaccine doesn’t drive the timeline but it is a game-changer in terms of the comfort level of staff and the safety of the staff and that process has started and is well underway,” Herron said.
She also pointed to research that highlights “minor levels of transmission within schools if mitigation efforts are strong.”
Chief Operating Officer Daniel Keever said the division has now vaccinated 1,275 employees.
“Nearly 200 are scheduled to be vaccinated on Wednesday. We anticipate at least 100 will be vaccinated on Friday,” he said. The division’s COVID dashboard reveals 1,753 members of staff are working on-site.
The dashboard records three staff in isolation this week and 37 in quarantine. It recorded eight COVID positive students.
Keever noted COVID-19 cases have been decreasing in the Eastern Region for almost two weeks.
“Our numbers went pretty high towards the latter part of the month of January but we are beginning to see a downward trend in both case incidence and percent positivity in James City County,” Keever said.
Assistant Superintendent Catherine Worley outlined the timetable for the return of high school athletics.
Conditioning for fall sports began Jan. 18. Conditioning for spring sports will begin Feb. 22 for all three high schools.
High school football practice is due to start Feb. 8 with competition beginning on Feb. 26. Practice for cross country, field hockey, golf, and volleyball is slated for Feb. 15 with competition from March 1.
“There will be limitations. This will not look or feel like a regular fall season and it will not resemble the practices of travel or club teams that some students may or may not participate in,” Worley said. “The wellness of our student athletes and coaches is paramount.”
She said students will not participate in junior varsity or middle school fall sports seasons. However, they may have the opportunity to resume conditioning or take part in spring sports. Worley said there will not initially be spectators at games.
Dan Mullen, athletic director Warhill High School, said players will wear face coverings and maintain 6-foot social distancing in a video shown to the School Board.
“We are going continue to watch it very closely,” Mullen said. “If we have issues following the mitigation and if we ever have cases there is a very good chance we just shut down the season, the team and so forth … the bottom line is we want everyone safe.”
He said games may be canceled and teams put in quarantine if COVID outbreaks occur.
David Macaulay, davidmacaulayva@gmail.com
