BOTETOURT COUNTY, Va. – Botetourt County Public Schools will resume school sports in January.
The division is withdrawing from an agreement established in November with six other surrounding school divisions regarding the criteria that would be used to determine if schools could return to play during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a letter sent to families on Tuesday night, superintendent Jonathan Russ acknowledged a spike in local COVID-19 cases, but said due to the division’s “day-to-day mitigation plan” and the governor’s orders limiting the number of spectators, among other things, he now feels the division can “safely participate in athletic competitions.”
“Our students, our coaches, our administrators, I think will follow the mitigation guidelines set forth by the VHSL and I think strongly that we can pull this off in a safe manner,” Russ told 10 News.
Russ said he doesn’t regret the decision to enter the agreement with the other divisions. He said the decision to withdraw “was not made in haste.”
Botetourt County Public Schools will withdraw effective Monday, January 4.
It’s welcoming news to parents like Todd Selkirk. His son Tanner plays basketball at Lord Botetourt High School, and committed to play at the college level. They weren’t going to waste the season, so Selkirk said his son has played travel basketball throughout the pandemic with no problems.
“We go in we play ball we follow the guidelines and we have not had a case where we went back to a facility and told there was an outbreak,” Selkirk said.
Russ released a statement on November 24 that BCPS entered the agreement with the following school divisions: Alleghany County Public Schools, Covington City Public Schools, Craig County Public Schools, Roanoke City Pubic Schools, Roanoke County Public Schools and Salem City Public Schools.
The agreement between these school districts in the Roanoke-Alleghany Health District developed clear criteria to determine if competitions will occur from week to week.
In Tuesday’s letter, Russ reminded parents that they can elect to have their student-athlete participate in some, none or all of an athletic season.
Russ said if at any time he feels it would be in the district’s best interest to suspend play for a period of time or an entire season, he “will not hesitate to make that call.”
“At any point if I feel like it’s in the best interest of our school division, I will withdraw us from competition whether it’s for a period of time or for an entire season,” Russ told 10 News.
Selkirk said the responsibility is now on his son, classmates, and their families to keep everyone safe.
“They have a duty and an obligation to their teammates to do everything they can to stay as safe as possible and minimize the risk that they’re bringing into practice every day,” Selkirk said.
Roanoke City and Roanoke County school districts have decided to remain part of the original agreement adopted on Nov. 24.