Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation Delays School Opening

EVSC delays school opening until August 19th.

Number of cases - is pushing back -- the first bell for evansville students.

In a shocking announcement this evening - e- v-s-c is pushing the first day of school back - by two weeks.

Tonight - 44news reporter erran huber - breaks down everything parents need to know*before sending their kids to the bus stop.

"i was very happy to hear that decision.

I think it's a step in the right direction.

I think we ought to keep watching the numbers."

Parents--sharing tonight their feelings--on evsc's decision to move the start date now to august 19.

It's not just parents keeping an eye on the numbers of infected across vanderburgh county-- that's the main factor driving the decision to shift.

But though the start of school comes with options of in- class and online learning.

Some parents-- still haven't decided what they think is the best choice for their kids.

"i am up in the air about either sending them back or doing virtual.

I'm not 100 percent certain.

If it doesn't get pushed back any farther, i will probably do virtual."

But as the evansville vanderburgh school corporation prepares for the new school year-- the superintendent sharing that it also comes with a cost.

"we have added a million dollars worth of staff."

In part due to the changes of schools and classes for social distancing-- like moving some elementary kids to harwood career prep.

But that big figure--only one part of the price tag.

"and the ppe equipment that you've seen is not inexpensive.

At this point in time, cost is not my primary concern.

My primary concern is that first guiding principle: the safety and wellbeing of our students and staff."

As we've already seen--the plan is subject to change.

The superintendent-- repeatedly asking the community for help--in stopping the spread to prevent any additional adjustments.

Eh 44news tonight --- the c-d-c delaying the release of documents on safely reopening schools.

A revamp of the guidelines coming --- after president trump called -- the previous ones "tough and expensive" to enact.

The president pointing to countries like denmark and germany --- that have opened schools.

And although they have controlled their outbreaks --- and have students under strict distancing measures -- the virus is still lingering.

"there are parts of the country that have a significant degree of viral activity that make you want to pause and say, 'ok, wait a minute, if we are going to bring kids back to school we've got to make sure that paramount is safety for the children and safety for the teachers."

The white house may tie school reopenings --- to whether they receive millions in funding --- as part of the next coronavirus relief bill.

That comes -- as