IRMO, S.C. — Lexington-Richland School District Five's school board has voted to go back to a hybrid schedule for high and middle schools as the district dealt with staffing issues due to the coronavirus.
The board voted Wednesday at a specially called meeting held at the district office in Irmo after a two and a half hour meeting. The hybrid schedule will start on December 7th and last through the holiday break.
Outside the meeting were protesters arguing for and against going back to a hybrid model.
Presently, Lexington-Richland Five has students come to in-person learning four days a week. Superintendent Christina Melton suggested they go back to a hybrid model to help keep students and teachers safe, but the board didn't approve that at a meeting Monday.
Melton said because of quarantining and illness they couldn't guarantee adequate staffing for safety at all schools. With only elementary students in class, that wouldn't be a problem, she told members.
"We are concerned about our staff being stretched too thinly and us compromising the safety for our students," Melton said.
On Tuesday, three high schools in Lexington-Richland School District Five abruptly switched to virtual learning after many of their teachers called out.
Board members wanted more coronavirus data specific to their schools before allowing her to make that decision. At the meeting Wednesday, they received a much more detailed presentation.
After receiving data from Dr. Melton and observations from several district administrators, the board voted six to one to go back to the hybrid model.
"Even though I’m a proponent of getting to five days, I think it’s a stressful time and for me it’s a good temporary compromise," said Chair of the Board Jan Hammond.
When students return from winter break in January, the plan is to have them back to school four days a week. However, the board will meet again on December 14th to evaluate how the hybrid model is working and if they'll need to extend it.