Several Central Indiana schools moving to remote learning this week due to COVID, staffing issues

INDIANAPOLIS — As coronavirus cases continue to surge and the Indiana Department of Health reported the largest number of new positive COVID-19 cases among students, several Central Indiana school districts are moving to remote learning.

Indianapolis Public Schools announced Wednesday that multiple middle and high schools in the district will have remote learning on Thursday, Jan. 13 and Friday, Jan. 14.

"This decision has been made based on the number of staff absences, including COVID-19 isolation and quarantines at the middle and high school levels," the district wrote on its website. "Transitioning to remote learning also gives time for affected staff and students to meet the 5-day isolation and quarantine period before returning back to school."

The following schools are affected:

Middle Schools: Arlington Middle School, Harshman Middle School, Henry W. Longfellow Medical/STEM Middle School 28 and Northwest Middle School (including Newcomer)

High Schools: Arsenal Technical High School, Crispus Attucks High School, George Washington High School and Shortridge High School

IPS says the two days will be asynchronous instructional days for students and classwork will be uploaded to Schoology.

IPS will not have school on Monday, Jan. 17 due to Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Tuesday, Jan. 18 is a Professional Development Day; students will not be in class.

The district plans on returning to in-person learning on Wednesday, Jan. 19, and will update families on plans by Jan. 18.

Ben Davis High School in Indianapolis cited staffing limitations as the reason for their decision to go virtual on Thursday and Friday. The Ninth Grade Center will operate as normal.

A spokesperson for Ben Davis says the switch to remote learning is related to staffing limitations due to COVID and other illnesses.

After being virtual so far this week, the MSD of Pike Township says it expects to return to in-person learning Thursday but they anticipate transportation delays. MSD of Warren Township students in grades 5-12 are virtual through Friday.

Greenfield-Central High School principal Jason Carey said on Twitter that a "recent surge in COVID-19 cases at GCHS among our students and staff" prompted them to do remote learning on Thursday, Jan. 13 and Friday, Jan. 14 as well. This only affects the high school.

After doing e-learning on Tuesday and returning to the classroom Wednesday, Anderson Community Schools will be virtual Thursday and Friday "due to a high number of COVID-19 related bus driver and staff absences."