Vermilion Parish middle, high schools to remain hybrid until Feb. 1

Vermilion Parish middle schools and high schools had planned to welcome all students back on Jan. 19.
Plans have changed.
Those students will instead remain on a hybrid schedule until Monday, Feb. 1. Vermilion Parish Superintendent Tommy Byler said Wednesday afternoon that the current number of COVID-19 cases in the parish prompted the decision.
“Unfortunately, the number of cases and quaranitines in our schools have not yet begun to decline,” Byler said. “Because of this, we will remain Hybrid for middle and high school students until Feb. 1.”
Vermilion Parish had 89 new cases reported on Wednesday. That comes after the Louisiana Department of Health added 60 cases on Tuesday.
After beginning the school year on a hybrid schedule, students in middle and high school eventually returned to an everyday schedule. When COVID cases began to surge late last year, those students returned to a hybrid schedule, with the idea that they would fully return next Tuesday.
“While we were truly hoping to return to face to face everyday on the 19th,” Byler said, “we do not feel like the numbers we are sitting at currently merit a full return.”
Byler commended everyone involved for their parts in navigating a tough situation. He said decisions like this one do not come easily.
“I appreciate your flexibility and understanding in this matter and hope that you know that the well being of our students and staff are always going to play a role in these tough decisions,” Byler said. “Let’s continue to do our part to help a downward trend in the data and plan for a return on Feb. 1.
“Again I apologize for this notice and I held the decision for as long as I could but in the end it is the safest decision for all involved at this time.”