BEATRICE – Facing a growing coronavirus concern just like the rest of the area, Beatrice Public School officials say they are ready to move to a Tier-three operation, with more online learning, if needed.


Superintendent Jason Alexander said as of last Friday, there were fifteen active cases of Covid-19 within school district buildings.
"As of Friday, we have a hundred and thirty four students in quarantine or absent in the district....most of those quarantined."


Alexander told the District 15 Board Monday night the key factor regarding whether the district will alter operations boils down to having enough staff to conduct in-person classes. He says the incidence of Covid-19 has substantially increased, in recent weeks. The quarantines includes students and staff, and also two of the district’s bus drivers.


The superintendent says other districts in the region are facing the same questions….whether to stay with in-person classes, use a 50-50 process, or move entirely to remote learning.


"Ralston and Nebraska City currently are in their Tier-3 mode of operation or their 50-50 mode.....50 percent of their students are on campus every other day...and on the opposite days, 50 percent of the students are on campus."


Alexander says its’ probably a matter of time that Beatrice Public Schools moves to Tier Three or Four.
"We've gotta have staff to teach students. We're tracking that very closely. That's going to be a key factor in determining our next step, we talk about that every morning. The other key factor is going to be students in quarantine, and how long before we reach a threshold where we are almost remote learning...and when does it make sense to go there, or 50-50."


One concern of some board members is providing parents enough time to plan, should the district change how it offers classes. Alexander said “there is no magic percentage” as to when the school setting could become a super-spreader environment.


Under Tier Three, the school system would retain the benefit of teachers meeting with half of the student population for half of each week.
One option is also to consider in-person classes, building by building.