More Students in Classroom in 117 Means More COVID cases, but Number Still Low.

By Gary Scott on February 10, 2021 at 1:56pm

Jacksonville school superintendent Steve Ptacek has seen an uptick in COVID cases brought into the schools this month, but he says that’s more about the numbers.

            Jacksonville school district 117 has had low COVID numbers through the first half of the school year, and that’s allowed a continuous course of in class learning.

            Ptacek says that’s still the case, but he has seen an increase in cases.

           He says the increase was inevitable because the district numbers of COVID invasion were so low. He says more students returning to the classroom has pushed up those numbers, but they remain low.

            Schools are using live streaming, rather than remote learning in the afternoon. Ptacek has begun looking at the possibility of some remote learning to be used next year.

            Right now, Ptacek and the staff are preparing for the next round of vaccinations.

           They will be done March 5th. Notes have been sent out to staff, and it will be another in service day for teachers.

            Ptacek says the vaccinations last Friday when very smoothly, to the point where the staff will shorten the clinic on the 5th.