Spencer County Schools off Thursday and Friday due to COVID

TAYLORSVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - Rising COVID cases have taken a toll on Kentucky school students and staff, with one more school district announcing days off due to the virus.

Spencer County Schools announced Wednesday night that Jan. 13 and 14 would be traditional days off for students and staff due to increasing cases within the school district.

Chuck Abell, Acting Superintendent for the Spencer County Schools, said staff shortages and the number of students in quarantine was what brought the district to the decision.

“Our student attendance has dropped close to 80 percent,” Abell said in a video message Wednesday. “We had 230 kids out at the high school alone today.”

Thursday and Friday will be traditional days off as opposed to virtual NTI learning days, Abell confirmed. The days will be added to the end of the current calendar.

“I appreciate the flexibility NTI gives us, however, I’m not a huge fan of NTI,” Abell said. “But I also realize people don’t like to go to school to the middle of June.”

Going forward, Abell said the district will be using a combination of traditional off-days added to the end of the school calendar in addition to NTI days.

In-person instruction will continue on Tuesday following the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.