For the fifth time this month, a school in Clayton County is switching to online learning due to a rise in coronavirus cases.
The latest is Kendrick Middle School in Jonesboro, which will go online beginning Monday “due to an increased number of COVID-19 cases,” the district said in a statement Sunday.
Students are expected to return to classes on Aug. 30, the statement said.
As a precaution, the staff and students of Kendrick Middle School will pivot to a virtual learning environment effective Monday, August 16 through Friday, August 27, 2021, due to an increased number of COVID-19 cases. Students and staff are expected to return on August 30, 2021. pic.twitter.com/hJtFHQ2dGC
— Clayton County Public Schools (@CCPSNews) August 15, 2021
Clayton County Public Schools reported 158 cases of the coronavirus in the week ending Aug. 6. All but 43 were students. The district does not break down data by school.
The district requires masks in its buildings.
The pivot to online learning comes as coronavirus cases are on the rise in pockets of the state due to low vaccination rates and the highly contagious delta variant, according to health officials. Children under age 12 are not eligible for the vaccine.
Last week, two other Clayton County schools shifted to online learning. On Wednesday, the school district said that Church Street Elementary School in Riverdale was pivoting to virtual learning until Aug. 30. A day earlier, Kemp Primary School went virtual for the rest of the week.
Two other schools — Pointe South Middle School and North Clayton High School — began the academic year virtually because of COVID-19 related illnesses. Both are back to face-to-face instruction, a schools spokesman said.
Leon Stafford contributed to this report.
