After two schools in Lexington County shifted to virtual education this week due to spiking COVID-19 cases, an entire district is making the change.

Lexington-Richland School District 5 announced Thursday that it is sending students home on Friday, Jan. 14, and Tuesday, Jan. 18. Monday was already a day off in accordance with the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. Students are set to return on Wednesday, Jan. 19.

“The health and safety of our students and staff remains School District Five’s first priority,” the release states.“School District Five is also committed to maintaining in-person learning for students as long as schools can provide effective instruction, safety, and supervision.

“School District Five is experiencing a high number of faculty and staff impacted by COVID-19 isolation and quarantine,” the release states, adding that the decision was made in consultation with the state department of Health and Environmental Control. “District administrators and principals have covered absences with available substitutes, staff, coordinators, district and school administrators. Today COVID-19 related absences are more than twice as high as absences during the Delta surge. As a result, there will not be enough coverage available to provide effective instruction, safety, and supervision throughout the district.”

According to District 5's most recent SC School Report Card, 16,780 students were enrolled there for the 2020-21 school year.

Chapin Elementary School in District 5 announced Tuesday, Jan. 11, that it would shift to virtual learning for the rest of this week. Before today’s district-wide shift, students were scheduled to return on Jan. 18.

River Bluff High School in Lexington County School District 1, one of the largest schools in the state, revealed over the weekend that it would send students home this week, coupling e-learning sessions with a previously scheduled half-day and teacher work day in addition to the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.

District 5 will continue arts and athletics events scheduled for Jan. 14 and 18 at 50% capacity. This includes the varsity basketball games featuring Chapin at Dutch Fork (boys and girls) and A C. Flora at Irmo (boys only), which are still on for Friday.

All other extracurricular activities are set to resume when students return to in-person learning Jan. 19.

The district notes that the shift to virtual education does not impact the length of isolation or quarantine currently specified for a student by a school nurse.

“School District Five did not make this decision lightly, as a shift in the instructional model impacts all families,” the release concludes. “District administration, principals, nurses, teachers, staff, and parents will continue to work together to find solutions that will improve school operations. Our goal is to provide a safe and sustainable in-person learning environment for all students and staff.”