Surry County Public Schools will return to virtual classes next week, followed by a week of hybrid virtual and in-person instruction.

Superintendent Dr. Serbrenia Sims announced the schedule change on the school system’s Facebook page Jan. 12.

Starting Jan. 18 and continuing through Jan. 21, school buildings will be closed to students, with some exceptions for Surry County High School students to facilitate Standards of Learning testing.

Starting Jan. 24 and continuing through Jan. 28, school buildings will reopen for hybrid instruction. During this week, students who are not quarantined due to COVID-19 will be allowed to come back to school, but will also have the option of remaining virtual, again with allowances for SOL testing at SCHS.

“Our goal has been and will continue to be, keeping our schools open,” Sims wrote, “however, an overabundance of quarantined staff members has made this impossible.”

Over the next two weeks, the school system is expecting students to log in as necessary during the school day. Sims expects to return to full operations on Feb. 1.