Rising Covid numbers prompt RPS to shift to all distance learning

Rochester Public Schools is moving back to distance learning for every student, the district announced Thursday.

RPS was scheduled to reveal Phase III of its Return to Learn plan no later than November 23 — the last scheduled school day before Thanksgiving break. With Covid-19 cases spiking in Rochester (and statewide), however, the district made its move early, preparing to move to an entirely virtual model by next Wednesday, November 18.

“This announcement comes before our targeted ‘on or around November 23’ date because the most current 14-day Olmsted County cases per 10,000 is at 65.23,” wrote RPS superintendent Michael Muñoz. “This information is more ‘real time’ than the data Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) publishes.”

On a classroom level, the move affects elementary school students whose families did not choose to opt out of the hybrid learning model introduced in September. Those students will not have school November 16 or 17, as their teachers prepare to switch models — all other RPS students will have class as normal on those days. 

Any extracurricular activities that can move to online-only will do so starting on Wednesday. All RPS-related athletics, however, will be shut down.

The new distance learning-only model is scheduled to end January 8, 2021 — a week after the end of winter break. Muñoz added that the RPS Covid-19 Advisory Team would continue to meet once every two weeks to assess the situation in the Rochester area.

“Our ultimate goal remains to bring students back to school in person, safely,” wrote Muñoz. “If the data allows, the District will review a change in the model sooner.”

Read through the district’s full Phase III document here.

Cover photo licensed via Canva