UPDATE 2:30 p.m.- In-person classes at Chase Secondary School will resume on Wednesday, Jan. 19, after a one-day functional closure today because of a lack of staff.

Parents and guardians were notified about the closure in a letter from Principal Greg Gartrell on Monday. He said replacement teachers spent the day working through the Continuity of Learning Plan to see whether a return to in-person classes was possible or if students would have to pivot to online classes.

“We expect to have enough staff to continue to offer programming in school face-to-face for the remainder of this week,” Gatrell said in a letter to parents on Tuesday afternoon. “If, for any reason, there is a change in circumstances, I will let you know.”

“Students should stay home from school if they are not feeling well and have symptoms as outlined in the Daily Health Check.”

This was the first “functional closure” of a school in the Kamloops-Thompson School District.

It is the first “functional closure” of a school in the Kamloops-Thompson School District. Parents and guardians were notified about the closure in a letter on Monday.

“Please keep your children at home tomorrow unless your child(ren) has/have exceptional needs and is/are required to be at school or if you are a health-care professional and cannot keep your child(ren) at home,” a letter from school principal Greg Gartrell said.

“As described in the Continuity of Learning Plan, this time is needed to pivot to manage the shortage of staff and to determine whether we can return to face-to-face or online.”

The earliest Chase Secondary will reopen is Wednesday, Jan. 19.

“We will notify you by noon [Wednesday] about the plan for the expected return to school,” Gartrell said.