The Rapid City Area School District will shift all students to virtual classes starting Wednesday. In an email to families, Superintendent Lori Simon says more than ten percent of school staff can’t work because they have COVID-19 or are in quarantine. Student cases are also up, but the district hasn’t updated the numbers since last Wednesday.
Hours before making the announcement, Superintendent Simon told SDPB’s In The Moment the Rapid City area has some of the state’s highest COVID rates.
“To a large degree it would appear the majority of our cases are as a result of social activity and other activity outside of the school and work day where in fact students and staff are not wearing masks.”
Simon says there’s some evidence the virus spreads at school before people know they are positive. The district requires masks in most situations.
Rapid City school officials will update families after Thanksgiving break about plans to return to the classroom.
-Contact SDPB reporter Jackie Hendry by email.
