Schools in Whitseville will return to in-person classes in phases beginning next week. Students at St. Mary of the Woods School (grades K-8) can return to the classroom Monday, while officials are hopeful students at Trinity High School (grades 9-12) can return Dec. 7.
Similarly, Owensboro Catholic Schools announced Friday their students in grades K-6 can return to the classroom Monday, with plans to allow students in grades 7-12 to return Dec. 7.
On Wednesday, a federal judge ruled that religious private schools in Kentucky are exempt from Gov. Andy Beshear’s executive order requiring them to suspend in-person classes due to the rise in COVID-19 cases across the state.
While not a part of the lawsuit against Beshear’s emergency restriction, the Diocese of Owensboro Catholic Schools Office, with full support by Bishop William F. Medley, has decided to allow each of the 17 individual schools or school systems to determine when to return to in-person learning.
“First, we want to make clear that we support all efforts to keep our communities safe and we respect the weight of the decisions entrusted with the Governor,” David Kessler, Superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Diocese said in a release. “However, we believe that we can support these efforts and safely return our children to school.”
The Catholic Schools Office for the diocese has determined that elementary schools may return to in-person instruction beginning Monday. Their goal is to have middle and high schools return by Dec. 7.
“Each school knows their own community best and can evaluate what transmissions in their area look like,” Kessler said. “Then they can decide if they want to continue with virtual learning or transition back to in-person instruction. The decision is solely up to them without any pressure from the diocese.”
Medley said, “As I’ve stated before, we acknowledge the difficult circumstances we face in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and we appreciate the efforts by our governor to keep our citizens safe, but we really and truly feel that one of the safest places our children can be at this time is in the classroom, learning face-to-face, albeit distanced and wearing masks.”
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