LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Several Arkansas school districts announced they would move to virtual learning as the state sees a sharp increase in new COVID cases due to the omicron variant.
According to Superintendent Mike Poore, Little Rock School District originally shifted to virtual learning for two days, but on Friday extended virtual through Tuesday, January 11.
The virtual learning will impact all Pre-K through 12th grade students for the district.
Poore said since December 29, the district has had at least 179 individuals that have tested positive in the Little Rock School District.
"As of 11:30 a.m. today [Jan. 5], we've had an additional 200 people that have called out," Poore said in the video. "We have 95 staff members, just today, that have tested positive."
After going virtual Thursday and Friday, the Pulaski County Special School District will also continue remote learning through Tuesday, January 11.
"Due to a continued significant increase of COVID-19 cases, PCSSD will issue AMI days on Monday and Tuesday of next week. Schools and district offices will be closed for public access and will follow AMI procedures on Monday, January 10 and Tuesday, January 11."
North Little Rock School District announced a phased-in approach that provides the choice of on-site or virtual, asynchronous instruction starting Wednesday, January 12, 2022, to Tuesday, January 18, 2022 at all campuses. All students will return to campus for on-site instruction on Wednesday, January 19, 2022. For more information on the district's announcement, click here.
The Cabot School District said they will utilize three AMI days for Wednesday, January 12 through Friday, January 14.
Hope schools and Hampton schools are also initiating the virtual learning, as they've announced on their Facebook pages.
Here is a list of other schools closed:
- JACKSONVILLE NORTH PULASKI SCHOOL DISTRICT 10th & 11th Grade Virtual on Monday (1/10)
- CABOT SCHOOL DISTRICT - Using AMI days (1/12 - 1/14)
- LONOKE SCHOOL DISTRICT - Virtual learning (1/13 - 1/14)
We will update this article with more information as it becomes available.