SPOKANE, Wash. — Following another district closure due to COVID-related staffing issues, Spokane Public Schools (SPS) announced that schools will be closed once again on Jan. 24.
In an email sent to SPS parents, the district said they are "using every means available" to keep students in the classroom and are following guidance from health officials.
The district said schools would be closed on Monday, Jan. 24 due to the current conditions of the COVID-19 surge and ongoing staffing issues.
SPS closed schools on Tuesday, Jan. 18 for similar COVID-related issues, stating that hundreds of staff members were absent and unable to find a substitute to fill in.
Students will not be in school on Jan. 24 and will be released early on Friday, Jan. 28. Students were already set to not have school on Monday, Jan. 31 for semester break.
There will be no morning or afternoon childcare on Jan. 24 and athletic schedules are being adjusted, according to SPS.
In addition to announcing the closure, SPS also announced a new interactive contact tracing tool that will be available on the district website on Friday. The new contact tracing form will "increase the efficiency of providing guidance to staff and schools regarding quarantine timelines."
The new form will allow parents to enter information about their student's exposure and symptoms and will give parents a date when their children are allowed to return to school.
SPS encourages parents to monitor their children for symptoms and get them tested if they begin exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19.