Gibbon Nation. Here is a quick update regarding our time away from school.
Beginning today and lasting through Monday, January 24th, students will not be at school and we will not have classes. We expect to be back in school, with students attending classes Tuesday, January 25th. The purpose of this closure is to give time for students and our education family to get healthy.
Our education family (educators and support staff) will not be in school today and Friday. We will use Monday, January 24th as time to plan for the remainder of the school year.
The following information guided our decision to close school –
- The Little Buffs Daycare closed Thursday and Friday due to excessive illness. We have students who attend both Little Buffs and our Early Childhood program. This group of students were exposed to COVID. In addition, we have teachers with children attending Little Buffs Daycare causing a significant burden for their families.
- We did not have enough staff to cover for teachers who were home ill or were home waiting on the results of their COVID Tests.
- We had members of the education family coming to school ill because they knew we were short of help. We need these folks to stay home and get healthy. Sending them home contributes to our inability to cover classes.
- We had members of the education family who needed to stay home due to having a child home ill. This situation also contributed to our inability to cover classes.
- We had 74 elementary and secondary students ill on Wednesday with numbers continuing to grow. This challenges our ability to provide a healthy and safe environment for everyone in the building.
We asked our students to take their technology home for the following reason. As rapidly as folks were becoming ill, and with our growing inability to cover classes, we wanted to be prepared in case we had to move into a remote learning environment. This was good practice in the event the district should move into a remote learning environment. AT THIS TIME, WE DO NOT PLAN ON MOVING INTO A REMOTE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AND EXPECT TO BE BACK IN SCHOOL TUESDAY, JANUARY 25th.
We respectfully ask that parents help their children prepare for the return to school. Please make sure your children bring back their technology, charging devices and other district property to school Tuesday, January 25th.
For now, all athletic events, practices and activities will continue as originally scheduled.
Please monitor the district website for additional information.