Palestine High School closes due to staff illness

Pennylynn Webb, Palestine Herald-Press, Texas
·2 min read

Jan. 19—The high school campus will be closed Thursday, Jan. 20 and Friday, Jan. 21. This is for the high school campus only.

"Yesterday, we had almost 20 staff members absent from the high school due to COVID quarantine," said Superintendent Jason Marshall. "As of 9 a.m. this morning, we had 23, and the number was growing. We have been using our substitute teachers mostly at the other campuses to keep our youngest students in school, so we are just not able to keep up with demand at the high school."

According to a statement issued by the school, students were provided with home learning materials Wednesday. Home learning assignments will be graded just as regular school work is. Teachers who are able to come to work will continue to do so and monitor student home learning from their classroom. Paraprofessional staff members will be diverted as needed to other campuses to assist with staff shortages on those campuses.

There will be no TACE program at PHS Thursday or Friday. TACE will resume for the high school next week. Also, there will be no TACE after-school buses at any of the campuses the remainder of this week.

PHS students may go to the campus and pick up take-out breakfast at 10 a.m. Thursday and Friday. Students who plan to pick up breakfast are asked to sign-up at the high school Wednesday for a head count.

Grapeland ISD made the decision last Thursday to close Jan. 14 and Jan. 18 due staff shortages from COVID and seasonal illnesses. They were back in school Wednesday morning.

Slocum, Elkhart, Westwood and Cayuga plan to continue in person learning and have no plans for possible closers.

The Herald-Press was not able to contact Oakwood or Frankston schools before the close of business Wednesday.