FRANKLIN COUNTY, Va. – UPDATE
Benjamin Franklin Middle School and The Gereau Center have been added to the list of Franklin County schools to switch to online classes until the first week of November due to coronavirus, according to superintendent Dr. Mark Church.
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Chuch said that starting Friday, Oct. 30, Benjamin Franklin Middle School and The Gereau Center will move to virtual instruction until Wednesday, Nov. 4 and students will return to their normal schedule on Thursday, Nov. 5.
According to officials, this change does not affect students who are part of the self-contained special education classes at Benjamin Franklin Middle.
ORIGINAL STORY
Franklin County Public Schools announced Wednesday in an email to families that one school will move to virtual learning for about a week because of COVID-19.
Superintendent Dr. Mark Church said Franklin County High School’s classes will be moved online from Thursday, Oct. 29 through Wednesday, Nov. 4 because the school is having difficulty providing adequate classroom supervision.
According to the notice, this switch doesn’t affect students who are part of special education classes.
“Please note that the reason to go completely virtual does not mean that the virus is being transmitted within our schools. In fact, we believe that there has been no transmission while at school since the opening due to the proactive measures in place," Church said. “The Franklin County community has had a significant rise in cases of COVID-19.”
Out of an abundance of caution, the school division asked an “increasing number” of students and staff to quarantine and teach or learn from home when someone comes into their classroom and tests positive for COVID-19, according to Church.
Church said that students will return to normal schedule on Thursday, Nov. 5