Area Schools Close, Illnesses and Staffing Shortages To Blame

By Gordon HopkinsA combination of illness and ongoing staffing shortages has forced some area schools to close their doors unexpectedly this week.Tri County Public Schools opted to shutter elementary school classes this Tuesday and Wednesday, January 18 and 19. On Tuesday, Randy Schlueter, Superintendent of Tri County, told FJN, “In the secondary there are six students who are out because of COVID issues. Seven other students are out for various other illnesses that are diagnosed by their parents. Those could be cold and/or flu illness or untested COVID. The elementary school had 12 COVID related cases. The other 25 students were ill with symptoms of cold, flu and COVID but none were tested. The biggest issue facing the elementary was staff with certified teachers in the classroom. The district did not have enough substitute teachers to fill all of the spots. Partly because of daycares closing that affected staff members' children.”Later that same day, officials at Beatrice Public schools announced school would be closed on Thursday and Friday, January 20 and 21. Similar reasons as Tri County were cited: illnesses and staffing shortages.Lincoln Public Schools is canceling classes for the next three Fridays, beginning January 21.Other Nebraska schools are also having to cancel classes due to the same difficulties. Wahoo Public Elementary School closed for a portion of this week and Hastings Public Schools have canceled classes for Monday, January 24.Fairbury Public Schools has not canceled any classes this week but did do so last November, extending the Thanksgiving break to a full week. FPS Superintendent Stephen Grizzle said at the time, “However, we are to a point that we simply can not fill our positions. We are averaging up to 12 open staff (certified and hourly) positions daily that we have been filling internally (with counselors, school psychologists, interventionist, non-teaching staff, administrators and anyone who can help cover) or not filling. We simply do not have an adequate number of substitute teachers or substitute pars educators to draw from.”

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