Schools battling a spike in COVID numbers

GREENWICH — Going with the flow. That's about all you can do in schools these days with the COVID numbers on the rise in all parts of Huron County. "I think things are going pretty well," South Central High School Principal Thomas Hellickson said. "Nobody can completely hide from it all together. Out protocols are keeping things as minimal as they can ... keeping kids in school is our priority." The Trojans were forced to cancel their football game Saturday night at St. Paul. There are no forfeits in high school athletics, and the game is considered a "no contest" by the Ohio High School Athletic Association. But as far as the Firelands Conference is concerned, the game is considered a win for the Flyers and a loss for the Trojans. South Central does plan to play Friday against Dayton Christian at Worthington Christian High School near Columbus. The game will begin at 7:30 p.m. The Trojans were originally scheduled to play New London, but the Wildcats dropped 11-man football this fall. Hellickson said a lot of factors went into not playing last Saturday against the Flyers. "It wasn't necessarily a numbers thing," he said. "With a roster the size we have, would we have the right players?" Hellickson said there were players at key positions who could not be replaced. "The short-term loss of losing one week would have a bigger advantage for us in the long run. We technically had the numbers to play but it wasn't the best move, safety-wise." Hellickson said this was not unexpected. "We will be honest, the Huron County Health Department and us could have expected it. The numbers were down because people were home and spread out. Then we have the fair then we bring everybody back for school. It takes a period of time after an event or a density occurrence like school. Now we are through the fair and the kids back to school." With all of that taken into consideration, Hellickson said everybody is doing all they can to control the situation. "We have them spaced out at lunch and in school as much as we can," he said. "We have seen the spike and now we are hoping it is back to where we can control it. Our parents and kids have worked hard. "We are not requiring masks at this time, but they are highly recommended. It helps in terms of quarantine because it helps limit their exposure. My understanding if there is an exposure they are looking for a barrier. The more you have the better." Barriers include masks, staying at least three feet apart and being vaccinated. "Each of those things decreases the risk," Hellickson said. "The teachers know. They are making very calculated decisions throughout the day. "Teachers by the day will adjust their seating charts. It takes some daily thought .... 'OK, what can I do today.' We are sanitizing daily. Some of the same things we did last year. It's common practice now. Kind of what you do."