How long will COVID keep Belleville high schools out of classrooms after Christmas?

Belleville Township High School District 201 will return to a hybrid learning plan the week of January 14, the district announced Thursday.

Students will return to all remote classes for the second semester on Jan. 6, then transition to a mix of in-person and remote learning the following week.

Families are still offered the option to do completely virtual school, but those opting for hybrid will begin on either Jan. 14 or Jan. 15, depending on which group they’re in.

Health experts, both locally and nationally, have warned that the holidays could cause a further spike in the number of COVID-19 cases, potentially straining hospitals that are already stretched thin. The delay in resuming in-person classes in District 201 is to allow anyone to quarantine before coming back to school.

“It is hoped that any exposures or transmissions that occur over the holidays requiring quarantine will be completed by then and will allow for a safe return to school,” a letter from the district’s administration read.

Like many local districts, Belleville 201 has alternated between remote and hybrid learning this semester, starting the year off remotely, moving to hybrid learning in September and ending 2020 with hybrid learning starting in November.

This story was originally published December 11, 2020 at 5:00 AM.