The Park Hill School District plans on students returning to hybrid learning next week after a two-week break.
District spokesperson Nicole Kirby told the Platte County Citizen the plan is to begin hybrid learning on Monday, Dec. 11. The district shifted to all distance learning on Monday, Nov. 30, because of the number of increasing positive COVID-19 cases in the district and community. The district wanted to start two weeks after the Thanksgiving break.
Last month the Platte County R-3 district said it had received about 5,000 COVID-19 rapid response tests from the state. R-3 said it had no plans to use the tests on students but would be testing staff.
Superintendent Dr. Mike Reik recently said the district has no plans to test students at this time, but are considering a future expansion to include students in school testing.
Kirby told the Citizen that Park Hill has also received testing kits but did not say how many. Kirby said the district will test students.
“Once we have enough nursing staff, we will start offering testing to students who have symptoms,” Kirby said.
The neighboring North Kansas City School District has also received testing kits and has notified parents it will test students in schools, if necessary.