Coronavirus: Minnesota school district shifts learning models a week after classes start
A "spike" in COVID-19 activity in Winona County has prompted a southeastern Minnesota school district to shift to hybrid learning for all students a week after classes started.
St. Charles Public Schools shared the news on Facebook Sunday night, noting there would be no instruction on Aug. 31 and students would begin hybrid learning on Tuesday, Sept. 1 through at least Friday, Sept. 4.
The first day of school for the district was Aug. 24. The district started with a flexible learning plan but quickly decided to switch to a hybrid learning plan for all K-12 students due to the increase in COVID-19 in the area.
St. Charles Superintendent Jeff Apse spoke with WCCO, saying the district will re-evaluate the plan at the end of the week, but noted this school year could mean shifting back and forth between learning models due to the pandemic.
As of Aug. 31, Winona County had at least 446 confirmed cases of COVID-19, according to the Minnesota Department of Health. The state has 75,864 positive cases of the virus to date.