COLUMBIANA COUNTY, Ohio - Since the start of the school year, the average absentee rate hovered around 5 percent in previous years but has risen dramatically at Crestview local schools to around 23 percent this year. That's as many as 1 out of every four students absent from the classroom due to illness and quarantines.

Superintendent Matthew Manley said, "Last year for the entire year, 180 days we had forty-nine cases of COVID, as of today 16 days in were at forty."

There are fifteen cases in high school, fourteen in middle school, and three in elementary school.
So far a total of 32 students have COVID-19 in the district.

Four teachers and staff members are out due to COVID-19.

"Right now I have three of my staff in the hospital with COVID-19," added Manley.

Struggling to get substitutes, principals are teaching classes, and administrators are working the lunch room.

Sixteen students have highly contagious Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease.

While RSV a respiratory virus is just beginning, and flu season is around the corner.

Unless the spread of contagious diseases is reduced the district may be forced to return to remote learning like last year.

Superintendent Manley explained, "There are three ways to avoid a quarantine, to wear a mask, be vaccinated, or wear a mask while vaccinated, or if you've had COVID-19 and recovered in the last 90 days."

Parents were given an opportunity to provide solutions for slowing the spread of viruses.  One parent suggested more handwashing, and more washing of desks and high touch areas prior to kids changing classrooms. Others suggested smaller classroom sizes.

Most offered suggestions on what they don't want, which included no masks, no dividers at lunch tables, and no remote learning. The majority of parents there spoke out against mask mandates.

Superintendent Manely told WFMJ News, no decisions would be made at this meeting. And he, along with board members, and staff will do everything they can to help keep students in the classroom learning.