Parish schools bid adieu to hybrid schedule

Superintendent Darwan Lazard said the schools will begin the phasing back in of hybrid students for in-person learning starting Monday, February 1 with grades six and 12. The following Monday, February 8, will be grades eight and 9. They will follow the same schedule as students grades Pre-K through fifth. Students will be there the whole school day Mondays and Tuesdays, and Thursdays and Fridays. Wednesdays will continue to be virtual as it will give the schools time to sanitize and give teachers office hours.
Lazard said the reason behind the decision is because they have been tracking the COVID-19 numbers. “The CDC’s recent research shows the transmission rate in schools is very, very low,” he said. “We have found Evangeline Parish schools to be the same. Also, we feel academically it would be better for students to have more time with their teachers than the hybrid system we’ve been following.”
When asked if they will be able to maintain the social distance rule, Lazard said they will continue to follow the same measures they have been using, to watch distance, wash and sanitize hands, and wear masks. In the classroom, the rule says to social distance “to the greatest extent possible.” To do this, Lazard said in some cases they may need to separate classes if there are extra classrooms. “We’re going to do what we need to do in order to make it work successfully and keep everybody safe.”