Nontraditional instruction continues at JCPS this week, district letter says

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) – Jefferson County Public Schools will continue remote learning this week after using four of its 10 nontraditional instruction days last week.

JCPS, one of several Kentucky school districts that have used nontraditional instruction or closed entirely recently amid the latest surge in COVID-19 cases, announced the decision Monday in a letter to families.

"We reviewed the data as recently as this morning and have determined that we do not have enough staff to safely return to school, at this time," the letter says. "As of 2:15 p.m. today, we had 692 staff in isolation/quarantine due to COVID-19, about 30 more than last Sunday. This does not include staff who have approved absences for other reasons."

Classes will resume Tuesday at JCPS after the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday.

Kentucky's largest school district paused in-person learning last week as staff absences mounted. JCPS Superintendent Marty Pollio said he hoped the 11-day break would allow employees affected by COVID-19 quarantines to return to work.

"It appears the number of positive cases may trend downward next week," the letter says, adding that the district hoped to resume in-person instruction on Jan. 24. "We are hoping that using our NTI days now will allow staff to get better and students to return to school buildings next week."

JCPS has six days of nontraditional instruction remaining for the 2021-22 school year and another 10 days per school of targeted remote learning opportunities with a new law signed into effect Friday. The Jefferson County Board of Education will consider giving Pollio authority to use the new remote learning days during a meeting Tuesday.

"Remote days are a little challenging for a district our size, but we will obviously bring that into play as well once they become legal," Pollio said during a Friday news conference.

The district will have two nontraditional instruction days left after this week.

JCPS will provide curbside meals at more than 100 schools from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday, and extracurricular activities will continue this week as staffing allows.

This story may be updated.