With the outbreak of the disease COVID-19, the district is working to flatten the curve by keeping students and faculty at home to reduce the likelihood of the community spreading the virus. Schools switched to at-home learning until April 3 at the earliest to avoid contact among students, teachers and campus administrators

“Our goal is to help flatten the curve and do our best to keep kids, teachers, parents and community members safe,” high school principal Chris Mayfield said.

According to LiveScience, the curve refers to the rate at which people are getting infected over a period of time. When many people get infected over a short period of time, that curve has a steeper rise and fall. If the same amount of people get infected over a longer period of time, the curve starts to flatten out.

“This is a bump in the road, but I know that this was the right decision for the district,” percussion director Nathan Lewis said. “Staying home can help flatten the curve so our healthcare system doesn’t become overwhelmed.”

Some healthcare precautions recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to reduce the amount of people getting infected are washing hands frequently, self-isolation when someone feels sick or suspects they might be, and practicing social distancing.

“It sucks that we don’t have school right now, especially for the seniors,” sophomore Chayse Taylor said. ”Everything is closed, and there’s not much to do at home.”

Following the CDC’s guidance and in an effort to help flatten the curve, the district has implemented online learning to keep students up to date on classes while still social distancing.

“[Lovejoy] continues to work in collaboration with local/ state officials, surrounding districts, and the Texas Education Agency to ensure Lovejoy ISD receives the most accurate information to help keep our schools and community safe,” executive director of communication Laurie Vondersaar said.