Last week, after the Belmond-Klemme School District announced several positive COVID-19 tests among both teachers, staff and students, they made the ultimate decision to close the junior/senior high building for a week and a half and move to 100% online instruction.
B-K Superintendent Dan Frazier said in a letter last Wednesday that the district “has experienced a sudden and severe outbreak of COVID-19 among our secondary students and staff.” This comes after announcements that five teachers and staff reportedly tested positive on Tuesday plus five students on Wednesday. Because of the possible exposure to infected persons, dozens more at the school needed to quarantine.
Frazier’s letter also said, “This sudden outbreak of the COVID-19 virus is largely attributed to activities outside of school and not anything that is happening during the school day. Our care and mitigation protocols continue to work to protect our students while in school.”
The district also made the decision to keep the elementary school open and operating on its regular schedule, because “this outbreak has not affected the students and staff at Jacobson Elementary to any great extent.”
As of now, the plan is to reconvene in-person instruction at the junior and senior high school on Monday, November 9.
