Manchester Schools Temporarily Heading To Full Online Schedule

MANCHESTER, CT — Public school students in Manchester will be shifting to online classes next week because of complications related to the coronavirus.

Superintendent of Schools Matt Geary made the announcement in a letter sent Tuesday evening to family in the district. Online learning is slated to begin Monday and run until Jan. 11, according to the announcement.

Geary cited concerns that have become familiar — an increase in positive virus tests, rising infection rates in the state and staffing shortages.

It's a contact list situation, Geary said.

"While transmission of COVID-19 has not occurred in schools, given the number of staff members and students in quarantine due to both school-mandated quarantines due to close contact and quarantines as a result of community contact, it is becoming increasingly difficult to staff our schools and ensure continuous and quality learning experiences for all students," he said in the letter.

He added, "Our ability to contact trace effectively is being hindered by the increased time required to receive individual test results. I do not make this decision lightly as I realize it creates a number of challenges for our students, families, and staff. However, in the interest of health and safety, the move to full remote is one we must make."

When students head back to their respective schools in January, those in pre-K through grade 4 will be in school full-time and those in grades 5 through 12 will be in a hybrid model balancing online and in-person classes.

Geary said things could change if the statistics and staffing circumstances change.