Aerial shot of the St. Croix Educational Complex, where the Arthur A. Richards K8 School is being housed. By. ERNICE GILBERT FOR VI CONSORTIUM
ST. CROIX — The Arthur A. Richards K8 School, which occupies a portion of the St. Croix Educational Complex High School campus, will temporarily return to virtual instruction on March 19, and until further notice, due to a confirmed case of Covid-19 among a non-instructional employee, said the V.I. Dept. of Education.
According to D.O.E., based on the research of exposure to Covid-19, the V.I. Department of Health has advised district and school leaders that the school should temporarily return to virtual learning.
The Career & Technical Education Center is not affected and can safely continue in-person instruction, Education said. Furthermore, the kitchen has not been affected and food service workers can continue to perform their jobs safely, according to the release. Family meal distribution will continue regular operations from the St. Croix Educational Complex High School.
Students attending St. Croix Educational Complex High school are engaged in virtual instruction and are not affected.
Details of the matter, according to D.O.E.
- The Arthur A. Richards administration was informed of the positive case on March 18
- The employee was last on the school’s campus on March 17
- After experiencing COVID-19-related symptoms on March 17, the employee was tested by the VIDOH on March 18, producing positive COVID results
- The employee has not had contact with any classrooms or areas in the physical learning environment
- The campus will be cleaned before reopening for in-person instruction
- The VIDOH continues to investigate and conduct contact tracing
- The closure of the Arthur A. Richards campus from March 12-16 is not related to the new positive case
D.O.E. said it will provide an update on Arthur A. Richards’ return to in-person instruction.
