ISD 518 Schools Added to MDH COVID-19 Webpage
ISD 518 Students, Families, and Community Members,
Due to recently meeting the threshold of five or more confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 within a school building, Prairie Elementary and Worthington High School will be listed on the Minnesota Department of Health website on the “Cases in Pre-K through Grade 12 School Buildings, by County” webpage. Independent District 518 would like to remain as transparent as possible while continuing to protect the rights of privacy of its students and staff. The district is currently working on ways to better provide up to date information to our community regarding cases of COVID-19 within our district.
Though Prairie Elementary and Worthington High School may be listed on the MDH webpage, at this time the percentage of confirmed cases in relation to the total student population is relatively low. There is also data suggesting the rate of transmission within schools is remarkably low, likely due to the strict health and safety requirements that are in place at district facilities.
District 518 administration is working towards a return to hybrid learning as soon as it is safe to do so. Meetings with various state and local agencies continue as the district monitors not only the health of students and staff, but also the health of the district community as a whole. It is critical that the public follow suggested guidelines including proper mask wearing, avoiding large crowds, and keeping six feet of distance between individuals.
Distance learning at ISD 518 will continue through the established minimum two week period that began on Monday, November 2nd. Communication with families and students about a return to hybrid learning will take place as soon as a decision on that return has been made. Thank you for your support in continuing to effectively and equitably educate District 518 students while prioritizing student safety during this tumultuous school year.
Thank You,
Independent School District 518 Administration