WILLMAR — Roosevelt Elementary School in Willmar will switch to distance learning for two weeks, beginning Thursday.
A rapid increase in cases of COVID-19 infection led to the decision.
“We saw the first case there on September 29th and currently have ten positive cases,” Superintendent Jeff Holm wrote in an email Tuesday afternoon. “This rapid increase, coupled with the difficulty of covering absences of staff members, led us to conclude that it is necessary to make this change.”
The school district hopes to resume in-person instruction Oct. 22, Holm said. The district will monitor cases over the next two weeks to determine whether it will be safe to restart in-person instruction.
Child care is available for Tier 1 essential workers. The school will provide free meals for students during the time.
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“We regret the hardships this situation may create for Roosevelt families,” Holm wrote. “The health of our students and staff is our utmost concern.”
Willmar Public Schools have been operating with in-person education for elementary students and a hybrid learning model for middle and high school students. Children in some classrooms have been sent home to isolate for two weeks and do distance learning, but this is the first time an entire school has changed its instruction model.
