Schools to remain closed

Elgin Nebraska Antelope County Nebraska news schools Elgin Public School EPS St. Boniface Elementary Pope John XXIII Central Catholic High School PJCC coronavirus covid 19 closed
Schools will remain closed likely for the duration of the 2019-2020 school year. E-R photos
Elgin Nebraska Antelope County Nebraska news schools Elgin Public School EPS St. Boniface Elementary Pope John XXIII Central Catholic High School PJCC coronavirus covid 19 closed
Schools will remain closed likely for the duration of the 2019-2020 school year. E-R photos

Local schools have made the decision to remain closed for an undetermined amount of time. According to officials from Elgin Public, St. Boniface and Pope John schools, schools “received the recommendation on March 23 of our North Central District Health Department (NCDHD) that “public and parochial schools should not plan on returning to school [buildings] for the 2019-2020 school year”.”

In a statement received from St. Boniface/Pope John Principal Betty Getzfred…..

“The Nebraska Commissioner of Education Matt Blomstedt has said that learning should continue in the best way that we can during this time. This is not a “closing of school” or an extended Spring Break. This is a time of learning in this 4th quarter of the year!! We will not be having school in the summer. The commissioner is waiving the requirements for being “in session” or onsite. The commissioner wants us to plan for continuity in our education so that students will be able to move forward to the next grade in the Fall. This means that high school seniors need to complete their 4th Quarter requirements to receive their graduation diplomas. This means that we will work to pick up where we left off in our other grades in the Fall as well.”

According to EPS Superintendent Dan Polk, “After a 2:00 Zoom meeting yesterday with the Governor, Commissioner of Education and other state leaders it appears that we may not be back in school this semester. We hope that is not the case but wanted you to be aware and know that we are doing all we can to educate our kiddos through this difficult time. Please don’t hesitate to call your teachers with educational questions. We are eagle strong”

Schools plan to re-evaluate the situation prior to May 1st.

Look for more information and reaction from the school officials in the complete story in this week’s issue of The Elgin Review.