Monongalia County schools request waiver from West Virginia BOE to stay on remote learning model until Feb. 12; cites WVU students returning as factor

The next day, the state BOE met in Charleston, and decreed that remote learning would end Friday and all schools must return to blended models Tuesday.

“I know our board certainly was frustrated with the state board’s decision,” Campbell said. “Our board, I thought, had a very thorough and really deep conversation about what they thought was best for the students of Monongalia County, the community and the teachers as well. They were frustrated and disappointed that the state board made the decision that they did.”

The exemption would be to allow Monongalia County schools to follow the plan they decided on earlier in the week.

“We’re a little different here in Morgantown — we have West Virginia University here,” Campbell said. “Our big brother is right in our back yard. We recognize the impact that the return of their students had on us in the fall.”

Campbell noted there is worry on the county’s part related to the return of spring semester WVU students, whose first day of classes is also Tuesday. University students arriving for the fall semester led to a spike in COVID-19 cases in the county.

“Our concern is that we will get back into a situation where our delivery of instruction is inconsistent,” Campbell said. “That’s not good for our kids. We submitted that waiver this morning, and I will be awaiting a response from Clayton Burch, the state superintendent of schools.”

It is unsure when a verdict on the waiver request will be handed down. If the request is denied, there is a plan in place to have Monongalia County students in classes on the hybrid model on Jan. 21.

“We did have a consultation with the state superintendent today — he did say that all counties would be given some grace as far as phasing in next week,” Campbell said. “As long as we were in school at some point next week in a face-to-face model, that whey would not hold us to starting on Jan. 19.”

Campbell pointed to the success of the county’s hybrid model in keeping the students safe.

“We have been able to keep our schools safe and have not been a spreader situation at this point in time,” Campbell said. “We’ve provided the opportunities for families who do not want to be in school on a part time basis, they have not been forced to come to school.”

He does not believe that a return to a full five-day schedule would not be beneficial for the community.

“There are very few counties as large as us, and have school as large as ours,” Campbell said. “We have some of the largest schools in the state, and bringing back 75-80% of our student population doesn’t give us the opportunity to meet the requirements for CDC guidelines for distancing.”

The county began administering the COVID-19 vaccine to teachers last week, with additional vaccines occurring Friday at Morgantown High School. Campbell said that after Friday, roughly half of all the county’s teachers will have received the first round of their vaccine. They will need to get a second booster shot four weeks later before they are fully vaccinated.