Mercer schools will reopen Jan. 19
Robert Moore
Herald Staff
rmoore@harrodsburgherald.com
The Mercer County Board of Education voted to return to in-person instruction on Jan. 19. The school system will follow a hybrid model.Superintendent Dennis Davis said students in A group will attend class on Monday and Wednesday while B group will attend class on Tuesday and Thursday. The groups will alternate on Fridays.
Davis said the hybrid plans gives students and staff the best shot at in-person instruction.
At last week’s school board meeting, Davis said the first round of educators may be vaccinated next week. If the vaccine makes the COVID-19 pandemic more manageable, he said they could easily switch back to in-person instruction.
“I just feel this is the best plan to get us in school,” Davis said.
By bringing in half the students at a time, school officials hope to reduce the chance of an outbreak. Esther Hayslett, the director of pupil personnel, said families will stay together. School attendance will be halved, but classes may not necessarily be halved.
Davis said the plan will allow children to attend school even if the school is in the red. He said the hybrid would allow them to use Titan learning days in the case of inclement weather.
The reopening date was moved back because school adminstrators feel the likelihood of kids getting 10 days with their teachers is much more likely in May than it is in January.
Terry Gordon, principal at Mercer County Intermediate School, said January 12-14 was “going to be pretty ugly in Kentucky.”
