BCSC students to stay remote through New Year

Bartholomew Consolidated School students will continue distance learning through the start of next year, the school district announced today.

School officials said the decision not to return to in-person classes until at least January 5th was made in consultation with medical professionals and the Bartholomew and Columbus COVID-19 Community Task force.

With the continuing spike in COVID-19 cases in the community, the decision was made not to return to in-person teaching until after the winter break. When the decision was made earlier this month to go to eLearning through at least the Thanksgiving holiday break, Bartholomew County had a per capita COVID-19 rate of 30.4, a positive test rate of 15.8, and CRH hospitalizations were at 14. As of yesterday, the per capita rate was up to 98.2, the positivity test rate has increased to 31.3 and there are 46 people hospitalized with COVID-19 in the county.

School officials said they would be monitoring local COVID-19 data and make adjustments as necessary.