Marion, SC, February 17, 2021– During the Marion County Board of Education meeting last evening, Superintendent Dr. Kandace Bethea, shared the district’s plan to move to Phase 3: Face to Face Instruction, as outlined in the district’s Safe Start guide approved at the beginning of the year.

The transition is organized by grade spans and will gradually bring all non-virtual students back into the classroom for five days, face to face instruction. 

• March 8, all students in grades K4 – 5^th grade will return to the classroom five days a week.
• March 22, all students in grades 6 – 8 will return to the classroom five days a week.
• March 29, all students in grades 9 – 12 will return to the classroom five days a week.

“The key priority with this gradual transition back to the traditional schedule is the health and safety of all our students and staff,” explained Superintendent, Dr. Kandace Bethea. “When the high school students return the final week in March, it will be exam week. We will then enter the fourth quarter with all our students in classrooms for face to face instruction five days a week.”

This transition only applies to students enrolled in traditional schools.  All students enrolled in the Virtual Academy Program will remain virtual and continue their classes remotely as they have been since the beginning of the year.

The South Carolina Legislature along with the South Carolina Department of Education is advocating for all students state-wide to return to face to face instruction, five days a week. “Our plan demonstrates our effort to meet the goals of the legislature and the Department of Education as well as meeting the needs of our students, teachers and staff,” commented Bethea.  As circumstances surrounding the pandemic are still evolving, the Pandemic Core Team and district leaders will continue to meet and monitor the needs of the system and will make decisions accordingly.    

Marion County Schools set to enter new phase of face-to-face learning (WPDE)

Marion County School District to transition to five-day, face-to-face instruction (WBTW)

Marion County School District returning to five-day classroom instruction (SC Now)