KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools announced Sunday evening that schools will be closed Tuesday and Wednesday.
The closure comes due to the high number of staff absences from COVID-19 and other illnesses.
"When we look at our data, with our staff who had to quarantine or who tested positive last week and able to return, and factor in the same number of projected absences for Tuesday and Wednesday, it just made sense for us to use those two days in conjunction with this one holiday weekend to maximize the number of staff who will be able to return on Thursday," said KCKPS Superintendent Dr. Anna Stubblefield.
Due to the high number of staff absences caused by COVID-19 and other illnesses, all district buildings will be closed on Tuesday, Jan. 18th and Wednesday, Jan. 19th.
— Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools (@kckschools) January 16, 2022
The closure also includes cancellation of the before and after school childcare program and KidZone. pic.twitter.com/nfqkzshtle
Schools were already set to be closed Monday to observe the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.
The closure also includes KidZone, a before and after-school childcare program.
Stubblefield said this decision does not come lightly, as she understands some families rely on meals from the district more than others.
"We also recognize that a large number of our students rely on us for meals," Stubblefield said. "So we are providing curbside meal service for families and the public libraries and other areas are open, and hopefully families can work together and collaborate to figure out some sort of support for their students."
KCKPS is the latest district in the metro to cancel classes for Tuesday and Wednesday.
Olathe Public Schools also announced Sunday the district would close due to staffing shortages and a high volume of student illness.
