MONROE — On Dec. 3, Monroe District Administrator Rick Waski sent an email to parents and staff about the decision to continue Plan C online instruction until at least January 2021.

As of 8 a.m. Dec. 3, Green County had 146 active cases of COVID-19, an increase of 40 cases over a two-day period. 

“The case increase in active cases over two days is the largest active case increase we have seen in Green County since the pandemic started,” Waski wrote in the email. “The Wisconsin Department of Health Services and Green County Public Health have told us that we will see a surge in the next few days and the last thing we want to do is have families make plans for in-person instruction and then have to cancel it days later.”

Waski shared that the “COVID-19 burden level” is at 808 cases per 100,000 residents, which exceeds the Monroe Board of Education approved number of 750.

“We have decided to remain virtual until the holiday break with the hope of returning to face-to-face instruction after the winter holidays. We hope this allows families some certainty in planning for the remainder of the month,” Waski wrote.

All of Monroe’s public schools have been in online instruction since Nov. 16.

There is currently one staff member from Northside Elementary with a positive case of the virus. Two Northside students, one Abraham Lincoln student, and two students at each Monroe High School and Monroe Middle School have positive cases, per the school district’s online dashboard. In total, 54 students and staff are either positive or in quarantine.