MANSFIELD — Multiple Richland County school districts will be going remote for a day next week while teachers and staff receive their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Clear Fork Valley Local Schools will be having remote assignment day and parent-teacher conferences on Feb. 18 while staff receive their vaccine from the Knox Educational Service Center. The district will also have a remote learning day on Feb. 19 in case staff members experience a temporary adverse reaction.
“Unfortunately, we cannot predict who will have a reaction and we do not have enough substitute teachers to cover last-minute needs,” superintendent Janice Wyckoff wrote in a letter to parents.
Ontario Local Schools staff will also begin vaccination on Feb. 18 in collaboration with the North Central Educational Service Center. Superintendent Lisa Carmichael said the process will begin at 6 a.m. on school grounds and wrap up around 9:30 a.m. Classes will proceed as normal.
The rest of Richland County’s K-12 schools are scheduled to receive their vaccines on Feb. 19.
Crestview, Lexington, Lucas, Madison, Shelby and Pioneer Career and Technology Center will all be having a remote learning day for students during teacher vaccinations.
“Each individual receiving the vaccine must remain in observation by a health professional for 15-20 minutes after a shot is administered. If the vaccinations were to take place during a typical school day, each school building would have to find a way to “cover” staff members while they are in the vaccination process,” explained superintendent Tim Tarvin of Shelby City Schools.
A number of private schools will also be having a remote day, including St. Peter’s and Shelby St. Mary.
Mansfield City Schools and Plymouth-Shiloh have chosen to use a calamity day, meaning there will be no in-person or remote classes.
Mansfield Christian School will continue with classes as normal.
Most Richland County Schools will receive their vaccinations at the Mid-Ohio Educational Service Center. The Shelby City Health Department will administer vaccines to Shelby City Schools, Pioneer and Shelby St. Mary at Shelby High School.
MOESC superintendent Kevin Kimmel told Richland Source more than 1,300 school personnel from 23 schools and districts were registered as of Wednesday — about 65 percent of eligible educators.
Shelby City Schools had 185 staff members sign up, which Tarvin estimated to be between 65 and 68 percent of personnel.
“The staff’s excited. It gives us another layer of immunity and protection,” he said. “We’re doing it with the hope that it keeps our staff healthy, keeps us out of quarantine and allows us to continue face to face instruction for the rest of the year.”
Ontario had more than 140 people, approximately 70 percent of its staff, register to receive the vaccine.
“Ontario school personnel have been anxiously awaiting receipt of the vaccine for weeks,” Carmichael said, adding that she would be among those receiving the vaccine.
“As a school superintendent, a lot of people count on me. I feel that I have a duty and an obligation to protect myself and those around me who I come into contact with on a day-to-day basis.”
