by Kate Evans
Morgan County Schools students will continue remote learning at home this week December 14-18.
However, Morgan County was classified as RED on the Monday morning Department of Health and Human Resources County Alert map due to its spiraling level of COVID-19 cases.
December 12 WVDE map.
Morgan County had been categorized as ORANGE status on the Saturday, December 12 West Virginia Department of Education School Alert System map again but immediately was changed to RED status Monday morning when it became RED on the WVDHHR map.
The map classification determines the type of school instruction and level of athletic and extracurricular activities permitted.
RED status means substantial community COVID-19 transmission and 25 and above COVID-19 cases per 100,000 or greater than 8% positivity rate of COVID-19 infection.
ORANGE status means heightened community COVID-19 transmission of 15 to 24.9 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 or a 5%-7.9% positivity rate of COVID-19 infection.
Local cases
As of Monday, December 14, Morgan County had a cumulative total of 468 COVID-19 cases- 382 confirmed cases and 86 probable cases. There are 153 currently residents with active cases of the highly contagious respiratory illness. Some 313 residents have recovered from COVID-19. There have been two deaths from the virus.
On Tuesday, December 8 there were 373 total COVID-19 cases and 110 active cases of the virus.
Red guidelines
The West Virginia Department of Education guidelines for school operations under the RED status are:
- Schools suspend in-person student classroom instruction and begin remote learning the next day.
- Essential student services such as meals, student engagement and special education services continue.
- Face coverings are required at all times for grades 3-12 when school services are required or needed.
- All school-related athletic and extracurricular activities are suspended immediately.
Morgan County Schools had previously been closed for in-person instruction and operating in remote learning only under the ORANGE status.
School post
In a Facebook post, school officials noted that “students are to be engaged in learning each day as indicated by their teachers in Schoology” when in remote learning.
Virtual and remote meals were set to be delivered on bus routes on Tuesday and Thursday if weather permits.
Parents who want to be added to the bus route on remote instructional weeks should call 304-258-2430 ext. 2053 or 2054 and leave a message with their child’s name, school name, address and a phone number.
