Some Kentucky school districts resume in-person instruction; staff prepare to get vaccinated

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Students in several area school districts have returned to classrooms for in-person learning.

"It was like the first day all over again for the second or third time," said Lori McDowell, director of communications for Oldham County Schools.

Oldham County and Bullitt County reopened schools to in-person instruction Tuesday, after COVID-19 precautions forced both districts to move to a virtual learning method in the fall of 2020.

"It was right before the governor mandated the shutdown," McDowell said. "We got to the point where we were having so many staff absences due to positive tests and quarantines that we just couldn’t function anymore as a district."

Oldham County is resuming in-person instruction with middle and high school students on hybrid schedules. The district's elementary school students, meanwhile, are able to return on the same days.

With some students choosing to continue learning virtually full time, McDowell said the district will have enough room to practice proper social distancing — even at the elementary level.

Bullitt County Public Schools

Bullitt County is operating on a districtwide hybrid schedule, but Superintendent Jesse Bacon hopes to have all students safely in the classroom on a typical schedule by next quarter.

For now, the superintendent is enjoying seeing staff and students back at school in limited capacities.

"It was fantastic," Bacon said. "I’m going to tell you, like Christmas, and our staff — you could just feel the energy in the building," he said. "It felt like school again."

Bullitt County students in Group A who chose to return to in-person instruction will do so on Mondays and Tuesdays, while students in Group B take Thursdays and Fridays according to the superintendent. The district is also offering full-time virtual learning for students who are not comfortable coming back to the classroom.

Wednesdays are virtual days for everyone to allow for schools to be thoroughly cleaned.

Hardin County Schools

Students in Hardin County returned for the new semester virtually on Jan. 4 but were given the option to return to in-person classes Jan. 11.

About 70% of the district's students chose to resume in-person instruction, according to spokesman John Wright.

"Everything has gone well," Wright said. "Our teachers have really talked about how the students have really picked back up where they left off, as far as routine goes, back in October — the end of October — when we went to (nontraditional instruction)."

Safety measures, including a mask requirement, are the norm for students and staff inside school buildings, Wright said. On Wednesday, Superintendent Teresa Morgan sent an email to staff telling them to expect to wear a mask for the remainder of the school year.

What's next?

The big question many are asking now: When will school staff get vaccinated?

Staff at Bullitt County and Hardin County schools were recently told they will get vaccinated through Kroger regional sites that are expected to be online by the beginning of February, according to district officials.

"We’re still waiting on a little bit more information from them," Bacon said. "We have another follow up meeting with them tomorrow. But by all indications it’s looking like that week of Feb. 1 through the 5th is probably where we’re shooting for as far as being able to start and complete that process for our staff."

Hardin County officials are also awaiting details from Kroger about when, where and how the vaccination process will work for staff in the district, Wright said.

Vaccinations for Oldham County Schools staff will begin Thursday, Jan. 21, according to McDowell. On Friday, all of the district's students will have an offline, work-from-home day to allow as many teachers as possible to receive doses of the vaccine.

"We are so excited," McDowell said. "The health department is getting the vaccine for staff members a little bit ahead of schedule. We’ve got our first clinic going on tomorrow afternoon and then we’ve got all day Friday."

About 1,700 Oldham County Schools staff members opted to get vaccinated, according to McDowell, who said doses will also be administered Jan. 28 and 29.

"It’s the light at the end of the tunnel that we’ve all been waiting for," she said.

After vaccinating teachers, however, the Oldham County Health Department does not expect to receive additional doses until the first week of February.

When the department does get more, it plans to continue to vaccinate those 70 and older and health care workers.

As more doses become available, appointments can be scheduled online each Friday at 1 p.m. For more information, click here.

In the meantime, coronavirus mitigation efforts will continue as students are welcomed back inside the buildings.

"We know that we can’t keep COVID out," she said, "but we can do our best to ensure the risk is as small as possible once you’re in the building."