NEW: Wise County Public Schools moves to online schedule starting Thursday due to spike in virus cases

The Wise County School Board is still intent on starting classes on Thursday but students will spend their first day of school on the internet.

During Monday night’s emergency meeting, the board reversed their July decision and will start the year with virtual classes until September 18 due to rising cases of COVID-19 within their ranks with 20 school staff members including six at Wise Central High School.

Health department data shows Wise County saw their virus numbers jump from 110 on Aug. 6 to 244 as of Monday.

Board member Martha Jett said students and parents are growing weary of the changes for the school year and what impacts it will have.

“It’s a virus. You know it’s going to come back in the fall. All viruses do so if it starts to level out and then we start thinking that we’re going to be able to open up a little bit and the virus starts again and we’re going to shut down again. There has to be a stopping point somewhere. We can’t just continue this forever,” Jett told the school leaders.

(PHOTO: WCSB VA)