With the approval from the Iowa Department of Education, the Greene County School District will switch to remote learning from November 16th-24th. 

Superintendent Tim Christensen says students are required to attend all of their classes online until Thanksgiving break, which is November 25th-29th. Free breakfast and lunches will continue to be served to students. According to the District, Google Chromebooks will be sent home with kindergarten-eighth grade students to accommodate those students’ needs for online learning. Greene County Community Center will have internet access, with school staff supervision, from 8am-noon during the remote learning time period. 

Christensen hopes that switching to remote learning will help reduce the rapid increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in the county.

“Is that going to eliminate all of the cases in the county? No, it’s not, because we’re having cases that a spouse from outside (the school environment) is giving it to their spouse, or their child, and they are bringing it to school. Is there spread here (within the school)? Yes, there is. That’s why it’s important, again and I know the County (Board of Supervisors) talks about this as well, it’s something that everybody’s got to take part and do their best to help the situation.”

According to the state dashboard as of Thursday, Greene County’s 14-day positivity rate was 24.5-percent with 355 positive cases.