SAN ANTONIO – A coronavirus outbreak has resulted in a weeklong closure at a Hill Country school district.
Medina ISD Superintendent Kevin Newsom notified parents of the school’s closure on Thursday after the virus sidelined “several key members” in the staff and leadership team. Roughly 260 students attend Medina School northwest of Bandera.
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The school district reported a dozen active COVID-19 infections. Six of those infected were students, while the rest were school district staff. Several other students and staff members are also out due to quarantine protocols, district officials said.
“I had hoped and prayed I would never have to send out a letter like this again but in reality when you lose teachers, staff and key members of your administration team it is hard to operate in a manner we consider safe,” Newsom wrote in a letter to parents. “We will use this closure time to disinfect and clean every inch of our facilities.”
Newsom said that in-person instruction could no longer operate “in a safe and beneficial manner.” School is set to resume on Sept. 7.
SCHOOL CLOSURE Information August 27–September 3 Classes Resume September 7th
Posted by Medina Independent School District on Thursday, August 26, 2021
Though extracurricular activities, dual credit and online science classes will continue, no remote learning will be offered otherwise, Newsom said.
A handful of Texas schools have shut down due to the virus. This week, Marble Falls ISD announced that Highland Lakes Elementary School will be closed until Monday “to mitigate the potential for significant spread among our students.”
Schools throughout the state have seen a rise in cases as students return to in-person instruction. Some school districts have bucked Gov. Greg Abbott’s executive order and issued mask mandates in an effort to curb the spread. Others have taken a more muted approach, encouraging masks without requiring them.