BRANDON — A surge of COVID-19 cases at Neshobe Elementary School in Brandon forced administrators to move the entire school to remote learning from Dec. 17 through the beginning of the holiday break on Dec. 22.

Superintendent Jeanne Collins cited two main factors that prompted the action: a cluster of positive cases that affected a number of grade levels and sent at least six classes into quarantine, and a shortage of staff.

She said Neshobe had 22 staff absences in a single day in midDecember and could not hire enough substitutes to fill those positions. “For consistency of education, it made sense to move to distance learning so that all kids would be able to complete these next four days,” she said.