The threat of school closings continues to loom over the South Butler County School District.

As of Friday, three students at Knoch Middle School had tested positive for COVID-19, and two students received positive tests at South Butler Intermediate Elementary.

According to state requirements, the schools must close down for three days if they reach their case limit within 14 days of the appearance of the first active case of COVID-19.

Superintendent David Foley said in emails to parents that the middle school would be closed for three days if one more case were reported before Jan. 28.

The intermediate elementary will close for three days should one more student contract COVID-19 before Friday. Knoch High School students will return to class Monday after that building was closed last week for three days.

Foley shared his concerns that classes in various buildings could stop and start as long as the coronavirus pandemic remains a concern in the area and especially as the virus has surged in recent months.

High school students returned to classes Jan. 11 on a hybrid schedule after a virus-related, districtwide shutdown, but was the first school to reach the state-mandated maximum number of COVID-19 cases after returning.

While he has acknowledged throughout the pandemic that the best educational scenario for students is to be in the classroom with their teachers, Foley is concerned about flip-flopping between in-school and at-home learning as the school year plays out.

“At what point is it not good for teaching and learning?” Foley said at the Jan. 6 school board meeting.

A school with a significant number of cases — 14 for Knoch High School — would have to shut down for 14 days.