The Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools have announced that classes will be canceled on Tuesday, Jan. 18, and Wednesday, Jan. 19, because of a high number of staff absences caused by COVID-19 and other illnesses.
According to the announcement, the school district had more than 200 teaching positions unfilled last Friday, requiring district staff to fill the vacancies.
The district already was closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday, Jan. 17, so a long five-day closure should give staff who are sick the time they need to recover, according to the announcement.
All district buildings will be closed Jan. 18 and 19, according to the announcement made on the district’s social media.
According to the announcement, the closure also includes cancellation of the before-and-after school child care program and KidZone.
The district will offer curbside meals on Jan. 18 and 19 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Banneker Elementary School, Eisenhower Middle School, Carl B. Bruce Middle School, Rosedale Middle School, Schlagle High School and Harmon High School. Families do not need to pre-register to pick up meals.
The closure does not include the KCKPS Central Office and the Kansas City, Kansas, Public Libraries. These locations are expected to be open during their regular business hours, according to the announcement.
The decision to cancel school on Tuesday and Wednesday was a difficult one and was not taken lightly, the announcement stated. The closure allows staff who are ill enough time to recover and return to work after being quarantined, according to the announcement. Students and staff are expected to return on Thursday, Jan. 20.
For more information, see https://kckps.org/.