Active COVID-19 cases in Hamilton County schools have dropped by 38% since Jan. 20, although cases remain higher than at any point during the pandemic before last week.
Cases in the 21 schools that shifted to remote learning for at least one day since Jan. 20 – excluding STEM School, which only shifted two grades to remote learning – decreased by an average of 49%.
The number of active cases at one of those schools, Battle Academy, actually increased by two, or 13%, after shifting to remote learning from Jan. 21-25.
On Thursday afternoon, Hamilton County Schools announced that Bess T. Shepherd Elementary would shift to remote learning Friday through Tuesday and Soddy Daisy Middle School would go virtual Friday through Monday.
(READ MORE: LIST: Hamilton County schools moving to remote learning due to COVID-19)
Tennessee state law does not permit entire school districts to shift to remote learning outside of a declared state of emergency, although individual schools may submit waivers to the state commissioner of education for approval to shift to remote learning for up to five calendar days. Approval is based on “multiple data points related to the impact of COVID-19 on operations,” according to a news release.
Hamilton County Schools Communications Officer Steve Doremus said by phone Thursday that staffing issues continue to be a problem for the school system due to the impact of COVID-19.
“We are having difficulty filling all of our requested substitutes at this time,” he said, adding that staff from the central office as well as other school staff are filling in for absent teachers due to the substitute shortage and high number of employee COVID-19 cases.
Last week, the school board voted to provide supplemental pay to educators who are spending their lunch and planning periods covering classes for teachers who are absent when no substitutes are available.
Heather Modrow, a special education specialist at East Ridge Elementary, told school board members at the Jan. 20 meeting that her school had 10 unfilled substitute positions the previous week.
“I know we’re not an exception,” she said.
When staff members are absent in departments such as exceptional education or English for speakers of other languages, the services they provide are unavailable to students, Modrow said.
(READ MORE: Hamilton County schools wrestle with staffing amid omicron surge)
As of Thursday, the schools with the highest active employee case counts are Soddy Daisy High at eight, Harrison Elementary and Ooltewah Elementary at seven each, and Ooltewah High, Rivermont Elementary and Spring Creek Elementary at six apiece.
Schools with the highest number of active student cases as of Thursday are Signal Mountain Middle/High at 47, Soddy Daisy High at 29 and Middle Valley Elementary at 27.
Contact Emily Crisman at ecrisman@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6508.