UPDATE: Jenkins Independent Schools suspend in-person learning until Aug. 23

Update at 9:45 p.m. on August 10, 2021:

JENKINS, Ky. (WTVQ) – Jenkins Independent Schools suspended in-person instruction in the classroom through Monday, August 23, 2021, according to a letter sent out Tuesday evening to school district families and posted on the system’s Facebook page.

This comes one day after classes were called-off following two positive COVID-19 tests in the school system.

Superintendent Damian Johnson in the letter to families said the choice of August 23 would allow time for all students to be out of the classroom for the required quarantine time.

The period from August 11-20 will not be non-traditional instruction, but rather days removed from the school calendar, according to the district.

Original story below from August 10, 2021:

JENKINS, Ky. (WTVQ) – Jenkins Independent Schools began the new school year less than a week ago and already classes have been canceled after two positive coronavirus tests in the district, according to a post on the district’s Facebook page.

The post says the Kentucky River District Health Department notified the school system of the positive tests.  Both cases were in the Middle High School building, according to the post.

In a letter home to school families, Superintendent Damian Johnson confirmed the positive tests, saying the district had reached out with instructions to the family of every student who needed to quarantine.

Quarantined students were being provided with a Chromebook to continue instruction online at home, according to the letter home to families.

Meantime, neighboring Letcher County reported nine positive COVID-19 cases with four of those students who were already in school buildings.  Like Jenkins Independent, Letcher County Schools began the new school year on Wednesday, August 4, 2021.

Letcher County Schools also sent a letter to district parents, which is posted on the school system’s Facebook page.