Latest COVID-19 data affects district's learning models

For the past three weeks, the Luverne teachers and students have been diligently following a hybrid learning model of younger students in class and distance learning for older students.
Based on COVID-19 case numbers, district officials will announce on Friday how learning will proceed next week.
“What we see that’s happening in school reflects the public (numbers),” said Superintendent Craig Oftedahl at the Nov. 24 school board meeting.
Community case numbers factor into school decisions, but learning models are based on virus spread among students and staff.
As of last week, there were 150 active absences in the district.
“Nov. 24 was our highest point for active cases,” Middle School Principal Jason Phelps said Monday. “That was a high water mark for all of those things.”
He cautioned that the numbers reflect cases reported by staff and families to the district nurse.
“We feel like our families have been very good about reporting those things and we have been able to track all of that, which is an important part of what we are trying to do,” he said. “Our ability to track gives us the most accurate data.”
School data is collected in 10-day segments, tracking positive test results, quarantines due to close contact, COVID-related absences, and those waiting test results among staff and students.
Oftedahl said that data is important when the incident command team, (health professionals, school officials and parents), meets weekly.
The state Department of Health indicated Rock County had 788 positive tests with 11 reported Monday. There have been nine deaths in Rock County since March, but no deaths have been reported in the county in recent weeks.
Wednesday the district team evaluated data for Friday’s formal announcement about learning models going forward.
Oftedahl said there is not one piece of data that would allow Luverne to return to everyday, in-person learning, but a combination of factors, the largest of which is staffing.
“We need to have those absences spread out over the grade levels,” he said.
Phelps said being able to pivot quickly based on current information leaves the door open for possibly bringing students back into the classroom.
“The tradeoff is we are always in a little bit of a limbo,” he said. “But in our mind that tradeoff is worth it if we can get students more in-person time.”