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By Travis Gupton

The Selma Times-Journal

Selma High School has transitioned to all-virtual learning the rest of the week because of COVID cases and students showing flu-like symptoms, according to Superintendent Dr. Zickeyous Byrd.

At least five known cases of COVID-19 in the school after a number of staff and students started to experience flu-like symptoms. Byrd said that the school had no choice but to hit the pause button and let everyone recuperate, clean and sanitize the High School.

“Yesterday we had 18 staff members and over 180 students that were absent as well,” Byrd said. “ The doctor’s offices were jam-packed to capacity so we knew we had to do something. So we switched to virtual learning to allow for recovery and to allow us to deep clean and sanitize the building.”

Byrd said that the issue with the flu and flu-like symptoms seems to only affect Selma High School. His staff will keep an eye on the number of flu-like symptom cases around the district this week.

Despite having COVID-19 cases, Byrd is confident that the students will return to school Monday. He said the only thing to change if the number of COVID-19 cases increased

In the meantime, the school will run virtually. The students will work from either a Google Classroom or a program called Schoology.

“With COVID being a thing the last couple of years we are well prepared,” Byrd said. “ Our teachers are well prepared and trained for virtual. We use virtual as a backup so we are well prepared.”

With Flu season coming up, Byrd urge parents if a student shows any flu-like symptoms, keep them at home.