“Due to the increasing number of people isolated or quarantined due to COVID and the limited number of surrogates available in all areas from operations and instruction to administration, we are moving Ashland High School to teaching short-term distance on Jan. 13, “Ashland Public Schools Superintendent Samuel Bogdanove wrote in a statement to parents on Monday.

Students who do not have electronic devices at home will be able to access the school’s computer lab. Transportation and catering services will continue to be provided to these students. Extracurricular activities are postponed to January 30.

COVID rates have increased dramatically in Oregon since about Christmas. But despite the increase in cases of the virus, most schools in southern Oregon choose to continue in-person learning as much as possible.

“We are not interested as a school district in moving to full distance education unless all of our schools are not able to fill jobs or there are too many children outside. Says Bret Champion, the Superintendent of the Medford School District. Champion says quarantine decisions are made at the class level rather than the entire district.

The Districts of Medford, Grants Pass and Central Point are enforcing the options of wearing a mask, social distancing and testing to stay to ensure the health and safety of students. Champion says being in person is critical to student success.

“Our goal is to ensure that as many students as possible are in person, and then to ensure that there is a rich educational experience for those in quarantine,” he said. “It’s our secondary goal, but our first goal is to try to keep the kids in school. “

In the Grants Pass school district, 144 students and staff are in quarantine. Over 200 students and staff are present in the Medford School District.