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Teachers, staff to receive vaccine
By Chris Strunk
Last Updated: March 04, 2021

All teachers and staff in the Valley Center school district will have a chance to receive the COVID-19 vaccination later this week as the district prepares to phase in all in-person instruction.

Superintendent Cory Gibson said the district is working with the Sedgwick County Health Department as well as Wesley Medical Center and KU Medical to deliver up to 365 doses of the two-shot Pfizer vaccine to all district employees who want it. A shot clinic will take place at the high school Feb. 25 and 26.

"I think it gives us a big sense of relief," Gibson said. "We'll still be proactive."

Gibson said the district submitted its order to the health department on Feb. 20 and learned earlier this week the doses would be made available. The logistics were developed quickly, he said, but discussions have been ongoing for several weeks.

"This takes one more barrier away from staff who had legitimate concerns about bringing all students back on site," Gibson said.

By the end of March, Valley Center schools will be open to in-person learning for all grades.

The middle school and high school will begin phasing in additional grades next week.

Sixth-graders will begin all in-person instruction on March 2. Ninth-graders will begin on March 9.

After spring break, which is March 14 through 20, seventh-grade and 10th-grade students will begin all in-person instruction on March 23, and eighth-, 11th- and 12th-graders will return to all in-person on March 30.

Mondays will remain remote learning days for middle school and high school.

Currently, the two schools are in a hybrid model, where half of students attend on alternating days.

Elementary and intermediate school students attend five days a week.

Students who have opted for remote learning will continue that arrangement.

The district reached a promising milestone last week. On Feb. 19, there were no known cases of COVID-19 among school staff for the first time since the pandemic started.

"It looks like we're on the right track," Gibson said.

One was reported on Feb. 22.

Also as of Feb. 22, seven students and staff were at home because of COVID-related illnesses or exposure, the lowest number since September; and three students and staff had positive cases.

Countywide, the positive rate dropped to 5.1 percent, the lowest since early October.





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