The Jefferson City School District is extending distance learning for Lewis and Clark and Thomas Jefferson middle schools by another week.
The district informed families about the extension via email Wednesday.
"After assessing the ongoing staffing shortage and the number of staff and students currently quarantined as positive cases or close contacts, we have made the decision to extend our distance learning," the email states.
Distance learning for the two schools will continue until at least Oct. 23, and the earliest students will return to in-seat instruction is Oct. 26. The district will update families Oct. 21 on whether students can return to school Oct. 26, according to the email.
"Extending the length of distance learning serves to stop any spread of COVID-19 within the school environment, and should allow adequate time for any current cases or quarantines to run their course," the email states.
The staffing shortage is due to employees being quarantined and a lack of substitutes. Most of these employees are quarantined because they were in close contact with COVID-19 cases outside of school, Communications Director Ryan Burns said.
The district lists new cases on its website each day, but the website does not show how many cases are active, and the district is not publicly tracking the cases or close contacts that occur outside of school.
Since school began Aug. 24, Thomas Jefferson Middle School has had 31 COVID-19 cases which resulted in 42 close contacts, and Lewis and Clark Middle School has had 15 cases and 20 close contacts, according to jcschools.us.
Middle school activities will continue with normal operations and schedules.
In the email, the district reminded families the distance learning schedule is the same as the in-seat school day schedule, teachers will connect live with students for a portion of each class, and expectations are being communicated by teachers via Google Classroom and Google Meets.
Unlike last spring, the grades students earn on assignments will count the same as if students were in-seat, and they will be included in quarter grades on report cards. Students will have a grade in every class each day.
The district also reminded families that appropriate behavior and attire are expected of students when meeting via Google Meet. If students are removed from a virtual classroom, they will be contacted by their grade-level administrator and will still be expected to complete assignments. Any additional behavior issues will result in an office referral, according to the email.
Meals are available for pickup between 11 a.m.-1 p.m. on school days at the drop-off location for morning car riders. These meals will follow the regularly scheduled lunch menu as closely as possible, but there will only be one main entree choice, according to the email.