Teton takes all teaching and learning online

DRIGGS — The Teton School District will move all of its students to a fully home-based learning model on Monday, amid a surge of confirmed local cases of COVID-19.

All students will remain in a virtual learning model until at least Nov. 25, the district announced in a press release Tuesday.

The decision followed local health officials’ vote to move Teton County to a critical threat level for community spread of COVID-19. 

The rural East Idaho county reported 24 additional cases of the disease Tuesday alone, raising the number of active cases to 72, or about 59 cases per 10,000 people.

East Idaho has grappled with increased cases of COVID-19 for weeks. Teton joins rural Lemhi County in the critical threat level. Bonneville and Madison counties are at a high threat level.

A statewide surge has also impacted students, families and educators across the state. Idaho now has 15 counties designated as high risk and 17 designated as critical risk. These designations impact 144 districts and charter schools and over 264,000 students.

Yet as of Tuesday, Idaho Education News had identified only three school districts with temporary building closures.

Click here for a rundown of threat levels in East Idaho and here to compare school operation plans from across the state.

 

Devin Bodkin

Devin Bodkin

EdNews assistant editor and reporter Devin Bodkin is a former high school English teacher who specializes in stories about charter schools and educating students who live in poverty. He lives and works in East Idaho. Follow Devin on Twitter @dsbodkin. He can be reached by email at [email protected].

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