The spread of COVID-19 cases has prompted the Jackson County School System to close its middle and high schools beyond the Labor Day holiday.
A Friday update from school system superintendent April Howard said 23 cases of the virus had been confirmed among students and staff, leading to the quarantine of 332 individuals. Most of the spread has occurred in the district's two middle schools and two high schools.
"In an effort to reduce the spread of the virus, deep clean the schools, and provide teachers with time to prepare for teaching students in two different environments, in-person and at home, the Jackson County School District will close both middle and high schools for instruction on Tuesday, September 8 and Wednesday, September 9," said a statement from the school district.
All staff members will report to school next week. Also, extracurricular activities remain on the calendar for Wednesday and Thursday.
The plan is for the middle and high school students to resume in-person learning on Thursday, Sept. 10.
The school system also has decided to set aside three upcoming school days this semester for additional deep cleaning of the schools. Students will learn remotely on Sept. 23, Oct. 28 and Nov. 11.
