CROTHERSVILLE
The Crothersville High School Class of 2020 won’t be going on a senior trip.
On Wednesday morning, Principal Adam Robinson shared the news on the school’s Facebook page.
“After much deliberation and consultation with medical experts, Crothersville Community School Corp. has decided to cancel this year’s senior trip,” he wrote.
“The school corporation understands the educational value of this trip; however, considering the current medical situation surrounding COVID-19 (coronavirus), the school corporation felt it necessary to cancel the trip,” he wrote. “The school corporation understands this is disappointing news, but the health of our students is a top priority.”
The trip was scheduled March 23 through 27, which is the school’s spring break. The destinations included New York City and Washington, D.C.
Robinson declined to give out the number of students and chaperones who were set to go on the trip and also how they will be refunded the money they had paid.
Students started raising money toward the trip in junior high.
“Obviously, they were very disappointed. It’s definitely a kick to the stomach,” Robinson said. “I think they were understanding, though.”
Robinson said at the moment, an alternate plan for a senior trip or gathering has not been discussed.
According to The Associated Press, there are 10 cases of coronavirus in Indiana, including three presumptive positive cases of COVID-19 in Johnson County. COVID-19 is the disease caused by the virus.
The Indiana State Department of Health said other counties with patients with COVID-19 are Hendricks, Adams, Boone, Marion and Noble, and 43 people in Indiana have been tested for the virus, either by that agency or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
For most, the virus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and a cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. The vast majority of people recover.
According to the World Health Organization, people with mild illness get better in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover.
In mainland China, where the virus first exploded, more than 80,000 people have been diagnosed and more than 58,000 have recovered, The AP reported.
Indiana’s growing number of cases since the first one was reported last Friday in Marion County prompted Indiana and Purdue universities to announce Tuesday the suspension of classes on all campuses following spring break. The campuses will be open, however, and students will have the option to return to campus or not.
The University of Notre Dame followed suit Wednesday, suspending classes on the South Bend campus starting March 23 through at least April 13. The school, which is currently on spring break, also canceled all classes for next week to allow faculty to adjust to online instruction.
Indiana’s presumptive positive cases of COVID-19 include an elementary school student in the Hendricks County community of Avon. That sickened Avon student — the state’s only case not in an adult — led the school district to cancel classes and all school-related activities until April 6.