PICKERINGTON, Ohio (WCMH) – Rising COVID-19 case numbers are keeping students out of the classroom more than was originally planned, with the Pickerington Local School District the latest to hit pause on some return plans.

In a letter sent to families Monday, Superintendent Chris Briggs said the move is because of the increasing numbers of cases within the district.

The plan was to have students in class four days a week starting next week. Instead, the district is remaining in a hybrid model of instruction.

Like many parents across Ohio, since school started this year, in addition to being a parent, Sara Walker and Ryan Holstine have, at times, have taken on the role of teacher.

“Let’s face it, I am not a teacher,” Holstine said.

“It’s a lot harder to keep him focused and on task here than it would be in a classroom,” Walker added.

Walker’s sixth-grader spends two days in a school room and the rest at home. He has autism and she said he would greatly benefit from being in an in-person classroom more, but she understands with COVID-19 cases on the rise, now is not the time for that.

“It’s just not a good time,” she said. “We’re sacrificing, maybe, some education benefits for life-saving benefits.”

On the other hand, Holstine, who has students in second, third, and fifth grades, said he wast to see his children in the classroom more than two days a week.

“Let’s see how this works,” he said. “Let’s send our kids to school, see what the results are. Let’s face it, we’re playing football, we’re playing all these other sports and life has moved on, but somehow, educating our kids full-time in school just isn’t even on the table and that seems a little backwards to me.”

Biggs said the district’s move to four days a week in-class instruction is being postponed “based on a three-fold increase in in-school positive and quarantined cases in our district and the ensuing impact on staffing levels,” he wrote in the letter to parents.

“It’s been a constant struggle because I know they do better in school,” said Gabrielle Collins, who has three student at Pickerington North. “There are so many people that are, like, ‘No, I need my kids to go back to school right now,’ I get it. My kids are in high school, these grades are gonna be on their transcripts. I get it. But it’s not the time. It’s just not the time.”

In the letter, Biggs said the district knows there are strong feelings on both sides of the issue.

Whenever the district does plan on switching to the four-day-a-week plan, he said families will receive at least one week’s notice.