Bentonville High, West High students get OK to work from home

Students end the school day Aug. 24 at Bentonville High School. Go to nwaonline.com/200921Daily/ for today's photo gallery. 
(NWA Democrat-Gazette/Charlie Kaijo)
Students end the school day Aug. 24 at Bentonville High School. Go to nwaonline.com/200921Daily/ for today's photo gallery. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Charlie Kaijo)

BENTONVILLE -- School District officials have given all students in grades 9-12 the option of working from home for two weeks beginning Monday because of possible community spread of covid-19 at the two high schools.

Superintendent Debbie Jones notified families by email Wednesday of the option to sign up for a two-week "home permit" for students at Bentonville and West high schools. The option isn't necessary at other grade levels, according to the email.

The number of positive cases in the schools remains low, but the district wanted to be proactive in controlling the spread of covid-19, according to the email.

The district has reported eight cases among students and four cases among staff members this week, said Leslee Wright, communications director. She couldn't say whether all of those cases were at the high school level. This is the first week in which the district has had infection spread from student to student, at least as far as officials are aware, Wright said.

The district has reported 49 student and staff member cases since the school year began Aug. 24.

The home permit requires students show initiative with their school work, contact teachers via email for additional assistance and complete all work by assigned dates, Jones' email states. They may still visit campus for activity classes and practices sanctioned by the Arkansas Activities Association.

"Should the need for this option continue, you will have the ability to reapply for an additional two-week home permit, and placement will be based upon your child's successful completion of assigned work," Jones' email states.

Bentonville students had to choose before the school year started whether they would get their education in-person or through the district's online school.

According to district figures as of Sept. 2, Bentonville High School had 3,013 students enrolled, with 683, or 23%, doing school online. West High School had 2,153 students enrolled, with 499 students, or 23%, doing school online.

Elsewhere, the Farmington School District announced the high school would pivot to all online learning today and today only. Superintendent Jon Laffoon said in a news release Tuesday the school has covid-19 cases and 72 students were quarantined.

The district consulted with the Arkansas Department of Health and Department of Education and will reassess the situation this weekend, according to Laffoon.

The school has an enrollment of about 600 students, 470 of whom attend classes in-person, Laffoon said. Farmington has suspended all junior varsity and varsity athletic competitions through Saturday.

Arkansas Arts Academy, a charter school in Rogers, announced Thursday its campus for grades 7-12 will pivot to all online learning for today only "in an abundance of caution" after recording its first covid-19 case, according to a Facebook post by the school.

Dave Perozek can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @NWADaveP.

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