Decision Comes After the Shift Last Week to Full Remote Learning Due to Staff Quarantines 

January 26, 2021 

(JOHNSTON, SC)- At a Special Called Meeting this evening, Edgefield County School District (ECSD) Board members approved the district’s recommendation to return to Hybrid Instructional Models for all schools beginning on Monday, February 1. Full Remote Learning will remain an option for parents who prefer their children not attend school in-person. 

The move to offering Hybrid Instructional Models comes after the necessary shift to Full Remote Learning for all ECSD students on January 24. At that time, there was a significant increase in the numbers of staff at multiple schools being required to quarantine for 10 days due to being in close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19 or testing positive themselves. 

In making the recommendation to transition to the Hybrid Learning Models tonight, Superintendent Dr. Kevin O’Gorman reminded Board members that many of the COVID-related cases and quarantine situations could be traced to somewhere other than an ECSD school. 

Dr. O’Gorman also emphasized that all Edgefield County Schools will continue to follow strict safety protocols as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC), and local health professionals. 

“These are unprecedented times in public education, and we are constantly making decisions based on new information,” Dr. O’Gorman said. “Our priority is focused on how the decisions we make protect the safety of our students, staff, and communities. However, we are also sensitive to our families and their preferences, which is why we continue to support both in-person and remote instructional options.”