The rise in COIVID-19 cases is causing Fairfield Community Schools to move to online learning for all grades. The Iowa Department of Education on Tuesday approved the district’s request for a waiver to move all student learning online through November 29th. In their waiver request, FCSD notes student absenteeism has been as high as 4.5 percent, staff absenteeism as high as 11.5 percent, and with Jefferson County running out of hospital beds, the district collaborated with Jefferson County Public Health in support of the online learning application. The district also says, “Our administrators have said they cannot keep pulling people from other places to fill in absent areas; it is not sustainable. Secretaries from other buildings are helping pack lunches, the maintenance crew is helping clean in buildings, everyone is pitching in to help in other areas to keep students in the buildings.” The Fairfield school district resides in Jefferson, Van Buren, Henry, Wapello and Washington Counties.The positivity rates at the time of the waiver showed Jefferson County at 16.9 percent, Van Buren County at 20.5 percent, Henry County at 20.9 percent, Washington County at 17.3 percent, and Wapello County at 25.1 percent.