CRESTLINE — The Crestline School District will have classes remotely for the remainder of this week due to an increase in student and staff illness.
The district announced Tuesday afternoon that students will learn remotely Jan. 12 through Jan. 14. There are no classes on Monday Jan. 17 due to Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Students will return to in-person learning on Jan. 18.
“We’re hoping the next three days and the three-day weekend will put us in a better position and a healthier position,” Supt. Matt Henderson said.
Henderson said the switch to remote learning is necessary to address an increasing number of student and staff illnesses in the district.
According to the district’s online dashboard, there were nine active student cases and two active staff cases of COVID-19 as of Tuesday afternoon. However, Henderson said there several students across the district have COVID tests pending.
There are also numerous students and staff out with flu-like symptoms, which has caused staffing shortages in the bus garage, cafeteria and classrooms.
“The student absences are trending upward drastically and then we’re seeing a trend in staff absences — staff illnesses and staff being sent home with illnesses,” Henderson said. “It’s just not safe to have people in the building now.”
Crestline does not have a mask mandate in place, but does follow CDC guidelines that allow students exposed to COVID in a school setting to continue attending class, provided they wear a mask and remain symptom free.
The entire sixth grade class was required to wear masks to school Tuesday due to COVID exposure at school.
Crestline will continue transporting students to and from Pioneer Career & Technology Center. Sporting competitions and practices will continue as long as coaches and students are healthy enough to participate.
Mansfield Senior High and Mansfield Middle School announced a transition to remote learning Monday. Like Crestline, students will return to in-person class on Jan. 18.
