The Arthur A. Richards K-8 School and the St. Croix Career and Technical Education Center temporarily returned to virtual instruction Friday due to potential exposure to COVID-19 among non-instructional employees on the two campuses.
According to a news release issued Friday by the Department of Education, Arthur A. Richards occupies a portion of the St. Croix Educational Complex High School campus, which is in the same structure as CTEC. Complex High School students have not returned to campus for in-person instruction and are not affected.
The DOE news release listed the following factors:
– On March 11, a non-instructional employee at Arthur A. Richards K-8 was confirmed to have tested positive for COVID-19; however, the employee last reported to work on the campus on March 8. Thus, the V.I. Department of Health advised district and school leaders that in-person instruction could safely continue at Arthur A. Richards on March 12; faculty, staff and parents were informed of this development on the evening of March 11.
– On the morning of March 12, upon further investigation, the school learned that other non-instructional employees at Arthur A. Richards and CTEC potentially came in contact with the affected employee prior to the employee’s positive COVID-19 test results.
– With the new details of the potential exposures, local health officials and district leaders made the decision on March 12 to close the two campuses and return all students to virtual instruction while employees undergo COVID-19 testing and the VIDOH conducts further contact tracing.
The Department of Education will provide an update on the return to in-person instruction for both Arthur A. Richards K8 and CTEC students.
