Stockton USD 271 weekly report dated Friday, November 13th, 2020

Rooks County has seen a significant increase in both the number of positive cases and the rate of positive tests. During the month of October, RCH tested an average of 50 people per week and had a positivity rate of 22%. The week of November 2-8, 2020, RCH tested 99 people and saw a positivity rate of 37%. Since November 9, 2020, RCH has tested 112 people and has a current positivity rate of 47%. These changes are similar to numbers across Kansas and the US, where the number of new cases per day have set records. Kansas had an average of 2,430 new cases per day for the last week. The US had more than 163,000 new cases yesterday. 

Hospitals in Kansas are feeling the effects of this increase in very serious ways. RCH does have bed space available today but is experiencing difficulty every day with finding a place for patients who need transfer to a higher level of care. HaysMed and Salina are at capacity and currently on diversion, so patients are being transferred to Wichita or Kansas City. These cities are also noting bed shortages, which is concerning. What we do locally impacts these numbers. Please wear a mask when you interact with anyone outside your immediate household and avoid all gatherings, large and small, which have been the source of spread over the last several weeks.

USD 271 has experienced several COVID-19 cases over this week. We are scheduled to return our PreK-5th grade from remote learning to in-person learning with many staff returning at that time. At this time we will return to in person instruction on Tuesday for PreK-5 except for classes and persons who are still quarantined. All 6-12 grade classes will continue in-person learning for the week of November 16-20, 2020. If there is any adjustment required to the learning setting due to concerns in the schools, we will update your family quickly following a decision.