Winfield-Mt. Union preparing for possible switch to virtual

WINFIELD - The Winfield-Mt. Union Community School District will have a virtual learning day next Monday.

In a letter to parents, the district said students will receive instruction at home through online platforms and prepared packets. Students will not have school the following day as well for staff to 'continue preparations and debrief ways to improve the virtual learning experience.”

The virtual learning day is in response to the proclamation by Gov. Kim Reynolds on Monday enumerating new restrictions and rising concerns about the pandemic. The district said it believed a switch to a remote learning model 'to be a real possibility in the near future.”

'The district understands this is a difficult situation. The district's intention is to provide as much notice as possible to our families,” the letter read.

In addition to the virtual learning day, the district announced it would suspend all junior high activities until further notice.

The announcements come as case numbers in Henry County continue rising. According to the state's coronavirus case tracker, the county has had 1,597 cases so far and is at a 21.1 percent positivity rate over a 14-day average.

The district's website reports that as of Tuesday, 45 elementary students and eight high school students are currently quarantined.

In response to questions posed on the district's Facebook page, district Board of Education member Aaron Cummings described the virtual learning days as a 'trial run” in the event the state mandates schools go to a completely virtual learning format.

'This one-day trial run is going to help everyone see what needs [to be] addressed,” he wrote.

Cummings added the decision was not voted upon, but board members were 'called and it was discussed.”

'We are doing what we can as a board to make things as easy as possible for the staff and students. There are no easy answers though,” he wrote, and added the district and board continues to do 'everything [they] can to avoid going virtual.”