At Monday night's Wichita Board of Education meeting, the board re-visited their plans for second quarter learning in light of rising COVID-19 cases in Sedgwick County.
The board voted 5 to 2 to continue the learning plan from first quater. That means elementary schools will be On-Site and My School Remote. Middle and high schools will be My School Remote only for the second nine weeks of the school year, which begins on Thursday.
The board presented three different options during Monday's meeting:
- Middle and high school students transition into the new blended model
- Middle school students transition into the new blended model, high schools remain remote
- Middle and high school students remain in remote learning
Elementary students would remain unchanged in each option.
USD 259 Director of Health Services Kimber Kasitz told board members that the number of cases in the district have doubled since last week. Kasitz said more than 68 people in the district have tested positive since November 5.
Board members listened to data presented by health officials with the Kansas COVID Workgroup for Kids. The health officials said school based transmission is relatively low compared to other community based spreading. Officials urged district leaders, staff and parents to advocate for more community responsibility to help control the spread of coronavirus. The workgroup also warned that sports played indoors are at high risk for COVID-19 transmission.
The second quarter of the school year begins on Thursday. The board will next meet on Monday, November 23 to review the latest COVID-19 information from Sedgwick Coutny.
On Monday evening Maize, USD 266, announced that beginning Friday Nov. 13th high school students in grades 9 through 12 will begin full-time remote learning. Pre-kindergarten through grade 8 will begin full-time remote learning on the following Monday.
The Haysville USD 261 Board of Education voted Monday that secondary schools will go full remote starting Wednesday, Nov. 18 through at least Jan. 21, 2021. The BOE voted to allow winter sports and extracurricular activities to continue, but with no on-site spectators.