The De Soto School District is holding no in-person classes this week because numerous students and staff member had either tested positive for COVID-19 or had been exposed to someone who had.
The school buildings were closed to students Wednesday (Nov. 11), so since then all students have been learning online from home.
In-person classes are expected to resume Tuesday (Nov. 17), Superintendent Josh Isaacson said.
For the current semester, the district does not hold in-person classes on Mondays.
“From what we know now, with people coming back (from quarantine), we should be back in class on Tuesday,” Isaacson said.
District officials said in a letter distributed to parents on social media midday Tuesday (Nov. 10) that six students and five employees were isolated after testing positive for the virus, and 195 students and 22 employees were in quarantine because they were exposed to someone who had tested positive.
“And after we sent the letter out, I learned that we had four more positives among staff members, and a couple more were waiting to hear about their results,” Isaacson said.
He said when news started coming in on Tuesday morning about staff positives and quarantines due to contact tracing, he knew he had to do something.
“Contrary to what some people have been posting on social media, this (going to virtual for three days) isn’t about numbers going up countywide,” he said. “We were facing real shortages providing instruction in our classrooms and having people to drive our buses. Maintaining appropriate staffing is a huge concern and has a direct impact on all facets of our district.”
The district is delivering free meals to students whose parents requested them during the three days of virtual instruction.
“I want everyone to know our goal always has been, and will continue to be, providing in-person instruction for every student,” Isaacson said.
