SCOTT COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) — A community-wide COVID-19 surge has Scott county students out of the classroom for a third school day.
Scott County Public Schools canceled classes last Friday and Monday. Tuesday and Wednesday the district will utilize non-traditional instruction (NTI) days.
The school system said in a Facebook post that COVID-19 infections are causing attendance levels to dip to record lows.
Attendance for both students and staff members throughout the district was at an all-time low last Thursday.
The WEDCO District Health Department also reported their highest number of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and death in Scott County. They say they're so overwhelmed they're no longer contact tracing.
The district is looking to use temporary remote instruction (TRI) moving forward to address staff illness so that the entire district doesn't have to stay home, according to their Facebook.
"I really think every district is going through the same problem and it's just gonna be a matter of when each district runs out of those resources and those people to cover," said Laura Hartke with KY120 United-AFT.
The union has spoken out extensively about the issue. Now they're calling on the community to help keep in-person learning going.
"I think the only people at this point that can help, because you know we all prefer to be in-person, is the public. Because until the public helps to keep COVID out of our doors, we're going to continue to have exposures," said Hartke.
We reached out to the school district for more information and have not back yet.
