OSAGE COUNTY  — Linn R-2 announced Tuesday that beginning today (Wednesday), the school is implementing a modified version of Level 2 for grades 9-12 through Oct. 16.

Grades 9-10 will have in-person instruction Oct. 7, 9, 14, and 16, and grades 11-12 will have in-person instruction Oct. 8, 10, 12, and 14. Each group will alternate every other day with virtual instruction.

Additionally, the school has decided to cancel all after-school activities, athletics, and events through Oct. 9. While the district will reevaluate at the end of the week on whether to reinstate events, Superintendent Dena Smith noted it is possible that high school athletics and events will not resume until after Oct. 16.

Fatima R-3 during a special meeting Wednesday, Sept. 30, approved a temporary move to virtual instruction for students in grades 7-12, from Monday through Wednesday of this week. School is not in session Thursday, Friday, and the next Monday due to professional development and parent-teacher conferences, the latter of which has been canceled.

“The safety and health of our students and staff are paramount,” said Superintendent Chuck Woody. “Additionally, we are in the situation I feared with virtually no substitutes available for the employees who have either tested positive for COVID-19 or are in quarantine as a result of exposure to someone who has tested positive.”

Woody said four staff members had tested positive and two more are in quarantine. 

“Everyone has stepped up to help in the absence of substitutes, but it’s taking a toll and creating a challenge regarding the effective education of our students,” said Woody.

There also have been 12 students in grades 7-12 to have tested positive for the coronavirus as of Monday of this week.

Because school is not in session late next week, Woody said the additional weekend days will give students and faculty more time to recover, with the idea being to resume in-person instruction Oct. 13.

Students in grades K-6 will have normal in-seat learning Monday through Wednesday of next week.  

Woody in a letter on the district’s website noted that parents and guardians can help the school by limiting their children to exposure over the next several days by keeping them close to home, which would allow Fatima to finish this week strong and provide a better chance of returning to school Oct. 13 in good shape.  

“We understand that this is not ‘normal’ education,” Woody said. “However, under the circumstances with the cases we currently have, and by going virtual for these three days connected to our scheduled break, we can potentially restart classes COVID-free, which will keep us in school longer. We appreciate your patience with this pandemic and our continued effort to provide the best education that we can for our students.”