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Gardner Newman Middle School will go to virtual learning for the next two days due to COVID-19 issues among staff members.

There are currently 16 staff members absent due to COVID-19 positives, staff members in quarantine or staff members exhibiting symptoms, according to Public Relations Director Yolanda Stephen. GNMS is the second school in two days that has gone all virtual for two days, following Berta Weathersbee. BWE was all-virtual Tuesday and will also be virtual Wednesday, but plans to be back in school Thursday as part of the faculty will be eligible to return.

Gardner Newman will be virtual Wednesday and Thursday and will return to the classroom Friday.

Both schools currently do not have enough staff members available to cover the school. Part of the staff will be able to return on Friday at GNMS, allowing enough staff to be available.

Systemwide, the number of cases has dropped over the last week. As of Tuesday’s update, there were 32 TCSS students and 27 TCSS employees with positive COVID-19 cases. A total of 594 students and 34 employees were in quarantine.

The number of positive cases are down compared to one week before on Jan. 12. On that date, 74 students and 29 staff members had a positive case of COVID-19 and 314 students and 31 employees were in quarantine.

Stephen asked that people remember to continue wearing masks and social distancing, even away from school grounds.