- Parkway Schools
- Homepage
Friday, April 16 will be a virtual learning day
4/7/2021 -- The below letter from Superintendent Dr. Keith Marty was sent to all parents and staff.
Dear Parkway staff and families,
As you may know, we held a vaccination event for our teachers and staff prior to Spring Break. Nearly 1,000 staff members participated and received their first dose. Next week, these teachers and staff need to receive their second dose of the vaccine on Thursday night, April 15.
Recently, a significant number of staff requested April 16 as a personal day off. Many employees had mild to moderate symptoms after their first dose so they may be anticipating not feeling well after their second dose. At this time, we do not have enough substitutes to fill in for teachers and staff who have requested off. We also expect more staff members may request off or call in next Friday if they start to feel sick.
Given the number of employees who will be absent, we anticipate a lack of adequate supervision for students. Additionally, staff members who are at school may not be feeling well. This would not be a quality day of learning for in-person students.
- As a result, in the best interest of both students and staff, Friday, April 16 will be a virtual learning day for all Parkway students PreK-12. Students will participate in virtual learning with teachers from home on Friday. We want to avoid any other disruptions for students so Monday will still be a virtual learning day as scheduled.
- Staff will work the same schedule on Friday, April 16 as they would for a virtual Monday.
We know this schedule change is disruptive for our students and families. We have looked into many options to avoid this inconvenience, including rescheduling the vaccination event. Unfortunately, the vaccine doses are only available to us on Thursday night. There is also a narrow window of time when you can receive your second dose.
After we complete this clinic next week, at least 70% of all Parkway staff will be vaccinated. We know this number continues to increase every day and our employees now have more access to other opportunities in our community. More than 91% of all Parkway staff say they will choose to be vaccinated.
By achieving this important step of vaccination for teachers and staff, we can provide more safe and stable learning experiences for our students into the future. We are grateful for your ongoing understanding and support.
Thank you,
Dr. Keith Marty
Superintendent
Parkway Schools