WILLIAMSTON, N.C. (WNCT) – “In my opinion, my kids are doing great with virtual learning. I know that some struggle,” said Kristi Godley.

Martin County Schools will transition its students to virtual learning for two weeks starting on Jan. 11. That’s due to spiking COVID-19 case numbers across the county. Godley is mom to a first-grader. She prefers virtual learning and knows COVID isn’t easy for schools and their employees.

“This face-to-face thing is being immensely negated by the county not being able to handle the substitutes situation. The schools are struggling,” she said.

School superintendent Dr. David Fonseca said there was an outbreak at Jamesville Elementary School and Rogers Elementary Schools.

“At Jamesville and Rogers there was a teacher and 14 kids that were quarantined a couple of weeks ago,” said Fonseca. “There are 24 staff members right now to our knowledge who are documented to be either with COVID or out due to exposure.”

Rebeccah Zabawski, a mom with a full-time job and four children in school, feels the board’s decision did not come with much warning. She said she is scrambling to find child care.

Administrators said they will still distribute pick-up meals at each school and will offer laptops and wifi hotspots to families.