Vermilion Parish Schools to Delay Return to Classes

Students who attend classes in Vermilion Parish will have to wait one more day to tell all of their friends about what they got for Christmas. That's because officials with the Vermilion Parish School System have opted to delay the re-start of classes following the holiday break by one day.

Superintendent Tommy Byler announced late last week that students will not be required back in the classroom until tomorrow, January 4th. However, all system employees will report to work beginning today, Monday, January 3rd.

The reason for the change in schedule was so that administrators and faculty can go over and review changes in Louisiana Department of Health and Centers for Disease Control guidance, policies, and protocols. Superintendent Byler said the recent surge in COVID cases because of the Omicron Variant prompted the review.

Superintendent Byler told KATC television that the wearing of masks will be highly encouraged. However, there is no mask mandate in place at this time. Byler says masking is only a suggestion at this point.

However, there is new quarantine guidance in which masks will be mandated as part of an effort to get kids back to school in a more timely manner. That policy as well as other guidance from state, federal, and local health officials will be discussed during today's employee-only school day in the parish.

It is expected that all students in Vermilion Parish will return to regularly scheduled classes on Tuesday.