UPDATE, 11 p.m., Dec. 12: Forsyth County Schools spokeswoman Jennifer Caracciolo said that school buses for high school students will still be running Monday morning to allow students to pick up anything they may need from their campus.

Forsyth County Schools announced on Saturday that all high school students, except for Special Education self-contained classes, will switch to virtual learning starting on Monday, Dec. 14. Monday will be a planning day so teachers can prepare and students can retrieve items they need from their schools. Virtual learning will then begin on Tuesday. 

In an announcement to students and parents, the district stated that that the decision was made due to the rise in COVID-19 cases and direct exposures within the schools.

Just in the last week, FCS reported 165 positive COVID-19 cases among 41,296 students and staff, with 74 of those cases being reported within the district’s seven high schools. The district has not yet reported how many students and staff were directly exposed to the virus in the last week.

As high school students switch to virtual, the district stated in its announcement that parents and guardians should continue to contact their school if a student tests positive for COVID-19.

Teachers and staff will continue to report numbers of positive COVID-19 tests as they are closed for students.

Much like when Denmark and Lambert High Schools temporarily closed earlier in the year, the campuses will remain open for extra curricular activities “so long as the activity/athletic is not experiencing an outbreak.” In the announcement, district leaders asked that only family members and participating athletes attend after-school events.

“Attendees are expected to take their temperatures prior to leaving home, wear masks, practice social distancing and stay home if they are sick,” the announcement reads.

The announcement also reminds families to practice COVID-19 guidelines outside of school, which means staying away from large gatherings, practicing social distancing in public and making sure they are wearing masks when unable to remain socially distant.

For more information on instruction, mid-term exams and more, parents and students are encouraged to visit their school’s website.

“We appreciate your continued support as we work to ensure our school district is healthy and safe for learning,” the announcement states.