No one can get away from COVID news, information or opinions. It is definitely a 24-hour news cycle story. And schools are at the center focus of many of those conversations. Should we be in school? Should we be online? Should activities continue? Who is safe and who is not safe? All great questions.

November has seen a spike in positive COVID cases among Iowans. County positivity rates have increased steadily, if not soared in some counties. What should schools do at such a unique time in our history?

Lone Tree Schools have decided to go online for two weeks for the entire district once Thanksgiving break ends, Monday, Nov. 30 until Friday, Dec. 11. We hope our numbers do not jump a lot right after Thanksgiving break so we can at least have some in-person school before the Christmas break.

Along with being online for two weeks, we cannot do any extracurricular activities. This is what makes it tough for students. They are so used to being in school and being very active. Any time away from school and activities is tough on them. Last year’s seniors lost out on a lot of activities and now that continues for this year’s seniors. The balancing act of safety and trying to have school as we normally do is an unfortunate side effect of this time in history.

We hope the holiday season is safe for everyone. The extra precautions everyone is taking are greatly appreciated. We hope these precautions will keep our students safe and in school longer this year. The news of a possible vaccine is great to hear but no one knows how soon any possible vaccines will trickle down to school age children.

The hope for being online for the first two weeks after the Thanksgiving break is to keep students and staff safe just in case there is another spike in COVID cases. This proactive approach is designed to keep students in school longer and provide everyone with a plan moving forward.

Enjoy the holiday season. It goes by faster than expected and is always hectic. Safe travels, safe gatherings, and have a great holiday season.