An area school district’s administration has made a decision to move to in-seat learning.

Superintendent Dr. Carol Maher says the Marshall Public Schools’ administration has monitored COVID numbers as published by the Saline County Health Department over the past 10 days.

She says new cases in the county and community continue to decrease, and are at a 2.57 14-day average. As communicated previously, Marshall Public Schools is now announcing the transition to a modified Phase 2 of the MPS Returning to Learning Plan.

All students may return to school on March 8 for four-day school weeks. Classes will meet on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday- with Wednesdays being reserved for individual or small-group learning, services for special needs and teacher collaboration. Parents may request distance learning for their child(ren) at individual buildings.

Dr. Maher also says the Marshall Community is reminded that social distancing will not be possible in the district’s large schools (Marshall High School, Bueker Middle School and Spainhower Primary School) and may be unlikely in other buildings. A strict mask mandate is in effect for students, staff and visitors until further notice. Extra-curricular activities will continue on a case-by-case basis determined by building-level leadership.