LEXINGTON COUNTY, S.C. — Centerville Elementary School (CES) in Lexington County School District One announced on Friday that the school will temporarily shift all students from face-to-face instruction to virtual (e-learning) for the week of August 30 through September 3.
This is the second elementary school in the Midlands to go virtual in the past week, following Cayce Elementary in Lexington School District Two on Thursday.
School administrators said the decision was based on the high percentage of students and staff who have either tested positive with COVID-19 or are quarantined because of exposure to the virus.
"Please know we did not make this decision lightly," they say on the school's message board on the Lexington One homepage.
On Friday, CES reported more than 41% of the school's students and 15% of CES staff were absent from school because they either COVID-19 positive and are showing symptoms or are in quarantine because of close contact with a positive-testing person.
Students are tentatively scheduled to return to in-person classroom instruction on Tuesday, September 7 (the day after Labor Day). During this time of e-learning, all school-related clubs, activities and events are cancelled.
CES teachers will be reaching out to parents and guardians by Monday morning and students will be expected to participate and complete e-learning assignments during the week of August 30.
Free student meals will be available for pick-up from 12-1 p.m. on Monday, August 30, and Wednesday, September 1, at the CES bus loop.