Coronavirus In Solon Schools: 'Things Getting Extra Difficult'

SOLON, OH — The COVID-19 pandemic has led to staff shortages and large numbers of Solon students in quarantine, Superintendent Fred Bolden said.

"Things are starting to get extra difficult," Bolden said during Monday's Board of Education meeting.

The district is struggling not merely because of the rising number of COVID-19 cases, most of which are coming from outside of the school, but because of staff and students being forced to quarantine.

Since Bolden last communicated with the district, 110 students and 20 staffers have been forced to quarantine because they may have been exposed to the virus.

The majority of exposures and virus transmissions are occurring outside of schools, Bolden said. But safety protocols require anyone exposed to quarantine away from the district. This has led to staffing shortages.

"It continues to snowball and increase," he said. "We're doing everything we can to leverage technology to allow students to remain in school." That has meant beaming teachers into classrooms virtually, among other things.

However, the district is facing a critical staffing issue. Bolden said the Solon Schools badly need substitutes for all classes. Nearly every substitute willing to work is currently engaged with at least one Solon class, Bolden said.

Due to the shortages, principals have been forced to teach classes and some programs have had to revert to study halls because of a lack of available educators.

Substitutes do not need a teaching degree, they only need a four-year degree and to pass a background check, Bolden noted.

"The staffing circumstances are dire," Bolden said. He indicated that the district may be forced to go completely remote by or after Thanksgiving.

Treasurer Tim Pickana said COVID-19 has increased the district's operating expenses and has decreased the school system's revenue. One of those new costs has been bringing in staffers to aid with educator shortages, Bolden said.

"If this continues, we're not going to have a choice — some, or all of our schools will have to go remote," Bolden said. "I want to reiterate we are trying to stay in. But we need to be prepared."

Bolden said if the district is forced to go completely remote, Solon Schools administration will give families as much warning as possible to prepare.

"Remote instruction isn't a certainty. If we can come together as a community, to stem the tide and do the things we should be doing (hand washing, social distancing), we can turn the corner on this," Bolden said.

Board member Julie Glavin said everyone in Solon must take responsibility of their action to help keep students in classrooms.

"It is an important role that parents and families are playing right now," she said.