Citing staff shortages, Reynolds School District has canceled school for elementary and middle school students for two consecutive Fridays: May 20 and May 27.
Class for high school students and Reynolds Learning Academy students will continue “to ensure high school students have the required instructional time and to continue planned end-of-year activities,” the district said.
Reynolds Assistant Director of Public Relations & Partnerships Steven Padilla said the district isn’t aware of “COVID outbreaks in our schools.”
But COVID-19 cases are rising across the state. Fifteen Oregon counties are now listed as having “medium” COVID-19 community levels, a metric based on hospitalizations developed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Last week, the Oregon Department of Education sent a notice to school leaders for the rest of the year, stressing the need for safety protocols, including masks, in order to keep school in person for the rest of the year.
Some school districts encouraged a return to masks after ODE sent the notice, including Portland and Reynolds.
After reviewing staffing levels, officials realized schools would be short-staffed this Friday as well as the Friday before the May 30 Memorial Day holiday, which “won’t allow us to safely teach the students,” Padilla wrote in a text message to OPB.
The district’s message announcing the school closure, which was shared Thursday, acknowledged the short notice for families.
“We understand the burden on our families with this announcement, and we appreciate your patience as we work to ensure safety for all students,” the statement read.
The last day of school for Reynolds students is June 15.
