Due to increasing COVID-19 numbers, some Cullman County Schools will be transitioning to remote learning.

Good Hope Primary, Good Hope Elementary, Good Hope Middle, Good Hope High and Parkside K-8 will begin remote learning on Friday.

Friday night’s West Point, Good Hope varsity football game has been canceled with no plans to reschedule.

According to a statement from Superintendent Shane Barnette, officials continue to monitor COVID-19 numbers at the systems 29 campuses and make appropriate adjustments. As of Wednesday, student absences due to either a positive COVID test, or because they have been identified as a close contact, is reaching one-third.

Students at Good Hope and Parkside will come to school Thursday to pick up assigned equipment and materials needed for remote learning. The current plan is for students to return to campus on Friday, September 10. Once students return from remote learning, masks will be required at the affected campuses for one week. During this one-week period, we will evaluate the numbers on each of these campuses. In the event any school has absences of 15 percent, masks will be required.

The only athletic practices and games that will be permitted are those which are associated with varsity, regional/area games that have end-of-the-year playoff implications. At these games, attendance will be limited to 2 people per athlete (player, cheerleader, band member). The teams that have such games during this remote learning period will be allowed to practice as long as they follow the established protocols. All other extracurricular activities will be suspended during this period for all ages.

“As always, the safety and well-being of our students, faculty, and staff is our number one priority,” said Barnette in a video posted to Facebook. “Second to their safety, is the ability to facilitate high quality learning for all students. With one-third of the students at these schools being absent and as numbers continue to grow, we must make the necessary steps to continue face-to-face instruction and keep everyone safe.”

The district has established benchmarks that will require masks in the event any school absences reach 15 percent. Masks are strongly recommended at all schools and are required at schools with absences at 15 percent. Schools that reach a 20 percent absence rate will transition to remote.

According to a post on the West Point High School Facebook page, the school’s absentee rate is currently above 15 percent.

The post states, “As a result… beginning tomorrow it is required for all students at West Point High School to wear a mask while indoors. Masks will be required until our absentee rate falls below 15 percent. If our numbers continue to rise, we will have to transition to remote learning. Parents, please create a backup plan now in case we have to close our buildings.”