VALLEY CENTER, Kan. (KSNW) – The Valley Center School District announced on its Facebook page Friday that starting Monday, Nov. 2, all high school learning will be conducted remotely.

In the Facebook post, Cory L. Gibson, Superintendent of the Valley Center Schools said:

“Safely educating students during a Global Pandemic has proven to be a difficult task. Our team has done a fantastic job of attempting to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 through various measures. In recent weeks, the spread of COVID 19 has increased dramatically in our country, state, county, and local communities. This past week, the district experienced a significant increase in the number of students and staff who have tested positive — increasing from 5 confirmed cases on Monday evening to over 21 confirmed cases by Thursday night. Over 150 students and staff members in USD 262 are currently out of school due to the virus. Some have been diagnosed with COVID 19, some have household members who have tested positive, some have symptoms and are awaiting test results, and some have been identified as a close contact with a positive case. Over 70% of those impacted this week by COVID-19 are students and staff at Valley Center High School. It appears that most of the contacts happened outside of school-related events.

Relying on the advice from research, medical professionals, our gating taskforce, and the data we are tracking, the following learning modes will be in place beginning next week (November 2nd, 2020).

• Elementary Schools: NO CHANGES – IN PERSON learning (those who have chosen remote learning will continue at home)
• Valley Center Intermediate School: NO CHANGES – IN PERSON learning (those who have chosen remote learning will continue at home)
• Valley Center Middle School: NO CHANGES – HYBRID learning. However, enhancements designed to help students and families during hybrid learning will be implemented (those who have chosen remote learning will continue at home).
• Valley Center High School: CHANGE – REMOTE AT-HOME learning for all students.

The district will review all data and determine next Friday (November 6, 2020) if we need to modify modes for the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving. It remains our goal to keep our doors open and to provide learning and extra-curricular opportunities as safely as possible. We also share in the responsibility of reducing the spread of COVID 19 not only in our schools, but also in the homes of our students and staff and in the communities we serve. To keep our schools open for learning and activities, we ask for everyone’s help in decreasing the spread of the virus. Please wear a mask when out in public, practice social distancing, avoid large crowds, and wash your hands often.”

For more information on Valley Center Public Schools, click here.