DAYTON–Increased positive covid tests have scuttled basketball games and prompted Dayton School District officials to shift some classes to a few days of remote learning early this week.

At Dayton’s High/Middle School Tuesday, there were 61 students staying home, an increase of 20 from Monday, said Guy Strot, superintendent. Elementary School counts showed 26 absent on Tuesday, 14 of those staying home ill and 12 quarantining due to “direct contact” with someone who tested positive, Strot said.

High/Middle School students will transition to remote learning beginning Wednesday, January 26 through Monday, January 31, while the Elementary School will remain in-person as of the Chronicle’s press deadline Tuesday.

According to Strot, the relatively low numbers of absences in the Elementary School, plus the low (two) number of staff missing work due to illness, combined to support the decision to keep the grade school in-person. An additional factor is the burden on parents of elementary students when remote learning is switched on, Strot said.

In the High/Middle arena, Tuesday’s jump showed 46 of 61 reported missing due to illness, while other absences were due to appointments or other reasons. Plus, five secondary teachers were out of action Tuesday, Strot said, which the administration was able to handle internally with existing staff.

HS/MS students are equipped with Chromebooks and Google Classroom, and the move to remote learning is less problematic, Strot said.

“The Grade School is going in the right direction [down],” Strot observed, noting Monday’s 39 had dropped to 26 on Tuesday, but the HS/MS went up 20 in one day.

“The good news is, as I told the staff, ‘The End is Near,’” Strot said. Estimates indicate by April 1, death count could drop to 50.

“Today’s was a fairly easy decision and Dr. Neace [public health officer] supported it,” Strot said.

Positive cases at Columbia County Public Health were at 55 on Monday, with additional positives on Tuesday, according to Delphine Bailey, co-interim public health administrator. Daily positives were higher last week, Bailey said, when some days had over 15. Monday of this week was in excess of 10 and Tuesday the count was seven.

One problem in deciphering the count is that some positives drop off following the five-day quarantine, she said.

Basketball games and practices for the Dayton-Waitsburg teams are halted as of January 26, a decision made in conjunction with the Public Health Department, Lewis Neace, D.O., and school administration, said Sam Korslund, DW Combine athletic director. Games and practices will be off the table until the situation is re-evaluated on Monday, January 31. Should covid positives subside, DW will travel to Warden for a game Tuesday, February 1, Korslund said.

The Senior Night games against Riverview, originally to be played Saturday, January 29, have been rescheduled to Thursday, February 3. The final home game is versus Warden on Saturday, February 5.

Basketball student-athletes have been routinely tested every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, Korslund said, but lately testing has been conducted daily.

In Waitsburg, Superintendent Mark Pickel said numbers are mirroring those in Dayton, indicating an upward trend.

On Tuesday, there were 33 elementary and high school absences, Pickel said, and middle school numbers were unknown due to the staff person who does the count being absent. Of the 33 absences, 16 are covid positive and a smattering of the remainder are quarantining due to close contact.

School is still in-person, Pickel said, and future decisions about instructional configuration will depend on the number of covid positives. “Right now, we’re taking it one day at a time,” Pickel said.