Despite Delaware County being moved to red (Level 3 Public Emergency) in the color-coded Public Health Advisory Alert System, Delaware City Schools and the Delaware Area Career Center will both keep with their current plans.
The red alert, which is defined by the Ohio Department of Health as “very high exposure and spread” was declared in the county by the state Thursday based on the county’s case statistics from Sept. 7 to Sept. 14, according to the Delaware General Health District. After the level was changed Thursday, the health district reported that the data had been trending in a more positive direction since the week of Sept. 7.
Jennifer Ruhe, director of communications at Delaware City Schools, said Monday the district is not planning to move off the hybrid education model, where students are split into two cohorts and attend in-person school either Monday or Tuesday or Thursday and Friday. The two groups alternate attending in-person classes on Wednesdays.
“With the guidance of DGHD, we will remain with our hybrid model and continue to monitor the city and district data,” Ruhe said in an email Monday. She added the health district said the county is improving at this time.
Likewise, the Delaware Area Career Center reported Monday it will not change its plans after the red alert designation, citing the county’s improved status since Sept. 7. The DACC also reported Thursday that beginning on Oct. 5, it will be moving to a blended model for academics and labs.
Since the start of the school year, the DACC has only had students attend in person for their labs, while academics were taught 100% online. Next week, academic classes will also be divided into blue and green cohorts, and students will attend school on a rotation.
“I am beyond impressed with our students and staff,” DACC Superintendent Mary Beth Freeman said Thursday. “Over this last month, they have done an outstanding job of following safety protocols and keeping each other’s well-being at the forefront of everything we do. Thanks in part to everyone’s efforts, the case numbers among DACC staff and students is 1/10 of 1% (less than 0.001).”
More information about the DACC’s change of plans can be found at https://www.delawareareacc.org/.
