News

Staffing shortage closes two middle schools for in-person class

By Lightning Reports, Published: January 10, 2022

A staffing shortage brought on by contact tracing protocols, quarantine gudelines and employees awaiting test results forced school administrators to switch Flat Rock Middle School to virtual instruction today and Tuesday.

The school system's public information officer, Molly McGowan Gorsuch, confirmed the closing of the school for classroom instruction.

Later, during a School Board meeting, schools Superintendent John Bryant said Apple Valley Middle School would also transition to virtual learning Tuesday and Wednesday.

Based on the problems associated with public health guidelines, Flat Rock Middle School "would not have adequate staff to safely serve, support, and supervise students for face-to-face instruction to begin the school week," she said. "Therefore, FRMS families and staff were made aware that all students would be served with live virtual instruction from 8 am until noon each day for at least Monday, Jan. 10 and Tuesday, Jan. 11.
"The decision to pause face-to-face instruction at FRMS was not due to a Covid-19 outbreak at the school. Rather, it is a workforce issue, regarding the school’s staffing capacity to safely serve, support, and supervise students for face-to-face instruction."
During virtual instruction, “grab and go” meals are available for pick up.
District administrators are carefully monitoring staffing capacity and will make a determination about the remainder of the week by 5 p.m. Tuesday and communicated to school families and staff.