BENTONVILLE -- Northwest Arkansas Classical Academy announced Wednesday all students in kindergarten through eighth grade will pivot to remote learning for the next two weeks because of a case of covid-19 on campus.
Steve Gast, superintendent of Responsive Education Solutions schools in Arkansas, notified the school's families of the decision in an email delivered Wednesday night. The move, which takes effect today, is being made "out of an abundance of caution," Gast wrote. Classrooms are set to open Oct. 22.
"We are taking this time to do a deep clean of our K-8 building in accordance with our COVID-19 Health and Safety Guidelines," Gast wrote.
The school reported Tuesday two students or staff members had tested positive for covid-19, resulting in 61 students and staff members being excluded from campus for being probable close contacts.
The Classical Academy's high school students are not affected by the move. An enrollment figure was not available late Wednesday, but Headmaster Susan Provenza said in July enrollment for grades K-12 was 850 students. She said at the time at least 40% of the school's students had chosen to do school online this semester.
Last month, one in-person kindergarten class at the school shifted to remote learning because of at least one covid-19 case.
Northwest Arkansas Classical Academy is a charter school run by Responsive Education Solutions, a Texas-based organization.