Mesquite ISD closes schools until Jan. 20 amid COVID-19 cases surge for staff, teachers
Mesquite Independent School District joined many other North Texas districts impacted by the growing number of COVID-19 cases. The school district announced Friday that its schools will close until Jan. 20.
“Due to an unprecedented number of staff absences on Friday — more than 15% — and similar numbers already entered for Tuesday of next week, Mesquite ISD will close Tuesday and Wednesday, Jan. 18 and 19,” the school district posted on Facebook. “The strain of covering classes in the midst of a severe substitute shortage has taken a tremendous toll on our staff members who are able to report to work, but our ability to safely monitor students in our care is quickly becoming unmanageable.”
Mesquite’s temporary closure joins districts including Northwest, Mansfield and Keller, all of which recently announced they’re shutting down either some, or all, of their campuses earlier this week.
“By announcing this step today, we hope to give our families time to arrange for necessary childcare. This emergency closure will give us five days to regroup, stay home to get well, and deep clean our campuses and facilities,” the Mesquite district said. “Student activities will continue as scheduled during the closure.”
The district added that information regarding how instructional days will be made up will be sent to families in the near future and that they should “use this additional time wisely and take all available precautionary measures to safeguard and support your family’s health.”
