South Bend Schools to resume in-person instruction at middle, high schools

South Bend Schools to resume in-person instruction at middle, high schools
Posted on 01/08/2021
Inperson learning

Superintendent Dr. Todd Cummings announced in a letter to staff this afternoon that South Bend Community School Corporation (SBCSC) high schools and middle schools will return to in-person instruction on Tuesday, January 19, 2021. The district had pivoted all secondary grades to full-time eLearning on November 30, 2020.

Middle and high school students will return to attending school in person following Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, during which schools and administrative offices are closed. On Tuesday, January 19, students will return to their hybrid schedule:

  • Group A (last names beginning with letters A-K) attends Mondays and Tuesdays
  • Group B (last names beginning with letters L-Z) attending Thursdays and Fridays
  • Wednesdays will continue to be a district-wide eLearning day for all grade levels

The decision came following discussions with South Bend Community School Board members, principals at middle and high schools, and members of the corporation’s COVID-19 Task Force, which includes Dr. Mark Fox of the St. Joseph County Health Department.

“We’re pleased to be able to have all of our students back on the hybrid in-person schedule once again,” Cummings said. “We value in-person instruction, and are grateful for the hard work being done by all of our students, teachers, and staff to continue providing one another a safe and healthy environment.”

The School Board of Trustees will review the plan to resume in-person instruction at their meeting Monday, January 11. at 5:30 p.m.

All Empowerment Zone schools (Navarre, Coquillard, Harrison, Warren, and Wilson) will return to Sheltered eLearning on Tuesday, January 19, 2021. All Empowerment Zone students who participated in the first phase of Sheltered eLearning are invited to return and parents of these students will receive a call from your child’s teacher in the next two weeks confirming that you still want your child to engage in in-person learning beginning January 19. If you have questions regarding the Empowerment Zone's reopening schedule, please contact your child's school/principal.

Contact: George Jones IV, Associate Director of Communications, [email protected], 574-393-6165 (w) 574-315-2329 (c)