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Royal schools open, struggle to maintain staffing

by CHERYL SCHWEIZER
Staff Writer | November 30, 2020 1:00 AM

ROYAL CITY — Royal School District schools remained open last week, but Superintendent Roger Trail said the surge in COVID-19 cases has had a significant impact on staffing.

Trail updated Royal School Board members at their regular meeting Nov. 23.

Royal Intermediate Principal Angie Baldus said Trail had been pressed into service as a substitute at RIS last week. Royal High School Principal Courtney McCoy said 75 RHS students were required to go into quarantine last week.

Trail said there are a number of benchmarks that would require schools to go to all online learning. As of now, the staffing requirement presents the greatest challenge.

Royal started the school year in August in a hybrid model, with students at school part time and taking online classes part time. The district has been able to maintain that schedule.

Trail said parents and staff have been very disciplined, with parents keeping kids home and staff staying home, if they don’t feel well. The screening system established when school started has worked well also, he said.