Breaking: Days after COVID-19 case spurs online learning, Genoa-Kingston to go remote until Nov. 9

GENOA – Students in the Genoa-Kingston 424 school district will continue learning from home until next month, said G-K Superintendent Brent O'Daniell Wednesday, days after he reported a COVID-19 positive case in the district spurred the decision to go remote this week.

O'Daniell confirmed the decision on Wednesday in a letter to families shared with the Daily Chronicle, saying the district will remain fully remote until at least Nov. 9.

On Tuesday the district announced it would be going remote for three days to sort out contact tracing stemming from a positive test. On Wednesday, O'Daniell said the district would need to be remote longer.

"After conducting our contact tracing efforts within the district, reviewing all our options, and consultation with the board of education, it has been determined that we must extend our full remote learning plan for the rest of this week, as well as next week," O'Daniell said in the letter. "So tomorrow and Friday will be fully remote, and next week will be fully remote as well."

In information released by O'Daniell earlier in the day Wednesday, the district had three staff and four students test positive from Oct. 18-24. There were six staff and 61 students quarantined.

Since July 1, 10 staff and 11 students have tested positive.

O'Daniell did not immediately respond for comment.

In the letter, he said that next week was a different schedule anyway – with no school on Tuesday for election day. Friday was also a scheduled off-day in the district.