School leaders urge caution over Thanksgiving break

Schools across Tippecanoe County will reopen for in-person instruction next week after moving to remote learning this month as COVID-19 cases and quarantines continued to rise.

Leaders are urging families to remain vigilant with covid-19 precautions over thanksgiving break.

News 18's joe paul visited several schools for an inside look at the last day before break.

He joins us live to share how officials are monitoring the numbers.

Joe?

School leaders say they're thankful to students and staff for the extraordinary precautions they've taken this year.

But they want everyone to continue that momentum through thanksgiving break.

So that students like the ones here at west lafayette intermediate can return to the classroom next week.

< "it just came to the point of no academic return."

Schools across tippecanoe county have moved to remote learning as covid-19 cases and quarantines continue to rise.

Lafayette schools superintendent les huddle says a third of students at jeff high school were quarantined after a recent outbreak.

"it came best to, let's go to e-learning, give everybody their quarantine window and then get everybody back after thanksgiving break."

And school principals like sunnyside intermediate's matthew brown are confident classrooms will remain open for the rest of the year.

"we've got a very positive outlook that we'll still be here in the coming weeks."

Brown is urging his students to remain responsible and safe, which he calls the broncho way.

"we still want you to follow the broncho way when you're outside of school and when you're with family and friends and out in the community and out in public.

Our expectations are that our kids live that way and we feel like that's going to help keep them safe."

West lafayette elementary principal amber targgart is urging caution so the school's doors can remain open.

"i just ask that we continue to do what we've been doing up until this point in the school year, is be grateful to be together, yet make wise decisions so that we are all able to come back safe and healthy to finish out this semester."

Targgart says now is the time to be thankful to students and staff for getting this far.

"its thanks to everybody who's been involved.

It's bus drivers and food service and custodial staff.

I couldn't mention everybody but it's just been a great opportunity, this a great opportunity to say thank you and continued thanks as we keep going forward."

Shortages of staff like bus drivers and substitute teachers is still a big point of concern.

Huddle says the district will begin certifying paraprofessionals to become substitute teachers.

And targgart says west lafayette elementary is already leaning on ancillary staff to sub when needed.

Reporting in lafayette, joe paul, news 18.

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