Pickett Schools to Finish Fall Semester with Hybrid Learning

Pickett County Schools will use a hybrid learning model for all students until school starts back January 4.

Currently, Preschool through 4th grade is learning in-person and 5th through 12th grade are fully remote. Pickett County School Director Diane Elder said staffing forced this decision, and she currently has nine COVID positive employees.

Elder said there is not much the system can do to prepare for more positive tests over Christmas break.

“I don’t think there’s too much preparation that can be done, other than just making sure we have our devices,” Elder. “We did get a big shipment of our devices but we still are lacking some… That as of right now, they’re scheduled to be here in January.”

Elder said 200 Chromebooks arrived last week, and she expects more touch pads and Chromebooks in the January shipment. Elder said there are rooms to download assignments for students at Pickett County High School.

“We are allowing students who do not have internet at the high school to come in,” Elder said. “We have a couple of rooms, that we have for them so they’ll have that internet connection.”

Elder said the plan is to return to in-person learning after the Christmas break. However, she said she knows the holidays will make it difficult.

“We just ask them to practice all those precautions they can possibly practice,” Elder said. “I know it’s hard that time of year when families want to get together, but I ask them to do the best they can.”

Elder said she hopes that everyone on the school system staff will be well by the spring. Elder said Pickett County Schools switched to the hybrid model after Thanksgiving break.