WHITEFISH — Whitefish Middle School has moved completely to remote learning Monday after a surge in COVID-19 cases in the school.
In a letter to parents posted on the Whitefish School District website, Superintendent Dave Means, said there were 13 cases in Whitefish schools prior to Thursday and 16 on Thursday and Friday.
There have been nine positive COVID-19 cases alone since Oct. 10 in Whitefish Middle School, which prompted school officials to move the middle school to remote learning.
There is no school on Thursday and Friday for all Montana schools due to state teacher remote convention.
The Whitefish Schools Covid Incident Command Team will meet again this Thursday to reassess the schedule and release a plan for the following weeks.
Click here for a schedule for Whitefish Public Schools.
Numbers from the Montana Response COVID-19 tracking map on Monday morning showed an additional 94 cases reported as well as a total of 1,072 active cases.
The full letter can be read below:
Dear Whitefish School Staff and Families,
The Whitefish School District convened the Covid Incident Command Team and District Covid Task Force Team (CTF) today due to a very significant increase in positive cases in all three schools and in the valley since Thursday -- 16 confirmed cases within Whitefish Schools and 196 cases on Thursday and Friday and 150 at 1:00 PM on Saturday in the Flathead Valley. Based on the recommendations of the Covid Incident Command team and the Covid Task Force, administration has decided the following:
- DELAY the return to 100% K-6 instruction/and the hybrid plus in grades 7-12 given the rapid and dramatic increases in cases in our valley and schools since Thursday.
- CONTINUE in the hybrid model in all schools until cases in the valley and in our schools decrease over a period of time.
- MOVE Whitefish Middle School to 100% remote on Monday and Tuesday due to a significant number of positive cases in WMS (9 confirmed cases as of October 10th). ALL STUDENTS GRADES 5th - 8th WILL BE REMOTE MONDAY AND TUESDAY. On Wednesday students will attend by invitation only (similar to past Wednesdays).