Kenai Peninsula Borough schools will offer in-person learning for most students starting Monday

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District is allowing students to learn in person while operating at a high-risk level for COVID-19. The in-person learning option is offered alongside a fully remote learning option.

Starting Monday, any student in pre-K through sixth grade will be able to attend in-person school for every day of the entire school week. Students in grades 7-12 have a split schedule with two days in person, the school district said in a release.

“Instead of broad regional decisions to extinguish the onsite learning option, the KPBSD district level team will work with individual schools when a positive COVID-19 case occurs in a school requiring student or staff quarantine, or results in staffing shortages. Thus, you may experience only a classroom or specific school shift to the 100% Remote Learning option,” the district said in a prepared statement.

The school district said busing is still available on a normal schedule but all passengers will need to wear a face covering.

If the district has fewer COVID-19 cases reported in the community, then all students will be able to return to in-person learning full time under a medium-risk level, the district said in a release.

Staff and students who do have in-person school are asked to comply with COVID-19 mitigation procedures including wearing a mask and social distancing. The school district is also taking additional mitigation steps by upgrading the HVAC air handling systems, KPBSD said in a release.