Salem Schools will join with East Washington Schools and move to virtual education beginning Monday, Nov. 16 due to the increase in local Covid-19 cases and the county’s increased color designation being raised to “Orange”.

West Washington Schools are moving Grades 7-12 online beginning Monday but will keep Pre-K thru Grades 6 in-person at this time.

Thanksgiving break begins Nov. 25 and all Salem and East Washington are expected to return to in-person education on Monday, Nov. 30.

West Washington Schools said it would stay in virtual learning as long as the county was designated as “Orange” and would move all grades online if the county moves to “Red.”

Washington County Health Officer Dr. Jeff Morgan advised local administrators in a letter on Nov. 12 that all schools should move to a hybrid/virtual learning environment for middle and high school students. 

Morgan said Pre-K and Elementary classes could remain in-person while the county is listed in the Orange status. 

Morgan also advised all grades to move to virtual education if the county moves to the “Red” status. 

Salem and East Washington are moving all grades to virtual education.

Washington County moved to Orange for the first time on Wednesday (when the state updates this designation each week) and had previously been yellow. 

There are four stages – blue, yellow, orange and red. 

Orange status is given when there are between 100 and 199 new cases per 100,000 residents. 

Red status is given when there are more than 200 cases per 100,000 residents. 

There have been 93 cases of Covid-19 and 2 Deaths in Washington County since November 1 (5 total deaths overall and 526 total cases of Covid-19).

Morgan noted in a letter to schools that the new guidance was “to make stricter guidelines to help further ensure the safety of [the] students, staff and faculty.”

He said that during the “Orange” Status that no assemblies or large group activities would be allowed. 

Extra-curricular activities and any events with competitors/participants must have less than 50 people with a strong recommendation to have no in-person attendees.

Morgan wrote that administrators should “educate parents and guardians about limiting social events outside of schools and home. County education leaders will collaborate with the local health department to implement aggressive precautions in schools and communities.”

Morgan admitted his guidance was “stricter than the ISDH Orange guidelines set forth by the state and are enforceable per Indiana Codes IC 16-20-1-24, IC 36-8-2-4 and IC 36-8-25.”

Morgan also outlined that if Washington County moves to the “Red” status, all three county schools will be closed to in-person education.

“All extracurricular activities would be canceled,” Morgan wrote. “This is a stricter mandate than what ISDH has put out but is in the best health interest of our community.”

He did indicate that all information was subject to change at any time, as it has throughout this pandemic, and that the administrators at the county schools would be notified immediately of those changes. 

Acton said the schools were working with Morgan to monitor the situation and the positivity rate of the county.

“The positivity rate will determine how we will return to instruction on Nov. 30,” said Acton. “We will know more by Nov. 25th and will update the community on that date.”

Gov. Eric Holcomb ended Stage 5 of Indiana’s Back on Track program but didn’t replace it with anything.

Instead he state issued additional advice for counties in Orange and Red counties as follows:

COUNTIES IN ORANGE 

• Social gatherings –inside or outside — are limited to 50 people 
• Special, seasonal or commercial events planned for more than 50 people need to get a safety plan approved by the local health department
• Attendance at winter indoor K-12 extracurricular and co-curricular events are limited to 25% capacity 
• Capacity in common areas and break rooms should be reduced and users should be socially distanced
• Community rec sports leagues and tournaments may continue with limited participant attendance, with required personnel and parents/guardians only 

COUNTIES IN RED

• Social gatherings — inside or outside — are limited to 25 people 
• Special, seasonal or commercial events planned for more than 25 people need to get a safety plan approved by the local health department. Events are not advised to be held. College and professional sports are included. 
• Attendance at winter indoor extracurricular and co-curricular activities, including IHSAA sports, is limited to participants, support personnel and parents/guardians 
• Local officials may consider liming hours for the operations of bars, nightclubs and restaurants 
• Community recreational sports leagues and tournaments may continue with participants, required personnel and parents/guardians only 
• Senior care activities suspended 
• Hospital, long-term care facilities and other congregate settings may impose visitation limits 
• Common areas and break rooms should be closed 

However the state left any additional restrictions up to each county’s Heath department.

Effective immediately all Washington County buildings will be closed to the public, according to Washington County Auditor Kyra Stephenson.

The vast majority of Indiana counties are in higher-risk categories for COVID-19 spread, according to the Indiana State Department of Health.

A look at the ISDH’s coronavirus map shows 87 of Indiana’s 92 counties are in the orange or red categories. Only five counties are in the yellow category, and zero are considered blue.

“Due to the increase in COVID cases the Washington County Health Department and Washington County Commissioners have made the decision to close all county buildings to the public,” Stephenson wrote in a message.

“This decision was made in the best interest of the county employees as well as the community,” Stephenson noted.

According to the release, all county employees will be reporting to work as scheduled. 

If anyone needs assistance please call each office and county employees will do their best to take care of the needs over the phone. 

The number of Covid-19 cases have been on the rise over the past few weeks – nearly doubling each week around the state. 

Washington County is now designated as an “Orange” county, with Red the highest concentration of Covid-19 cases.

There were 155 new Covid-19 cases reported in Washington County in October and 71 cases so far in the first two weeks of November. 

Gov. Eric Holcomb yesterday moved away from the Stage 5 designation on Indiana’s Back on Track program and instead initiated the following new guidelines for counties in “Orange” and “Red” status.

Orange (moderate to high community spread)

• Grade schools continue in-person; strong recommendation for hybrid learning for middle and high school students
• No assemblies or large group activities
• Strong recommendation to limit extra-curricular activities and have competitors and participants only, with no in-person attendees
• Discussions with parents about limiting social events outside of school
• County education leaders work with local health department to consider implementing aggressive prevention efforts in schools and communities

Red (high community spread)

• Grade schools remain in-person or consider hybrid learning; middle and high school students consider virtual learning
• No assemblies or large group activities
• Extracurricular activities canceled
• Discourage social events
• County education leaders work with local health department to consider implementing aggressive prevention efforts in schools and communities.

Eastern High School and East Washington Middle School moved to online-only education today with the elementary school moving to virtual classes on Monday, Nov. 16. 

They plan to return to in-person education after Thanksgiving break. 

Due to staffing issues involving Covid-19 cases and quarantined staff, Eastern High School and East Washington Middle School moved to e-learning today with the elementary school moving to virtual classes next Monday. 

Washington Count has moved to an “orange” level after being previously in the blue and yellow status since the Indiana State Department of Health began tracking these changes. 

Washington County crossed the 500-mark of cases since March yesterday and topped out at 504 total cases. There have been 4 local deaths. 

Yesterday, Gov. Eric Holcomb, moved from Stage 5 in the Back on Track plan and initiated changes to those counties in Orange and Red. 

New restrictions for Orange Counties (Washington County) include:

• Attendance at winter indoor K-12 extracurricular and co-curricular events is limited to 25% capacity.
• Capacity in common areas and break rooms should be reduced.
• Community recreational sports leagues and tournaments may continue with attendance limited to participants, required personnel, and parents/guardians.
• Social gatherings of any kind, inside or outside, are limited to 50 people.
• Special, seasonal or commercial events planned for more than 50 people require the approval of a safety plan by the local health department.

According to Superintendent Dennis Stockdale, the school will still have Thanksgiving break from November 25-27 and plans to return to in-person schooling on Monday, Nov. 30. 

In a statement online, Stockdale said “our staff has done an incredible job, but we are stretched thin right now. In the past several days, the number of students and staff that have been either positive or quarantined due to close contact has grown significantly.”

East Washington staff will be notified by their supervisors when and where to report. 

Prosser students will attend classes at Prosser on their regular schedule. 

Elementary and Middle School extra-curricular activities will be canceled. High School extra-curricular activities will continue on a case by case basis. 

Eastern Lady Musketeers are set to play a basketball game at North Harrison Friday night and at home Saturday night against Austin. 

Stockdale said the lunch program would continue for students at home. 

More information and details on getting those will be released soon. 

“I understand this is a difficult situation for many, and I can assure you that this decision is not taken lightly,” Stockdale said online. “As with everything we have been dealing with for the last several months, this is subject to change. Your continued cooperation is greatly appreciated.”