OMAHA- Keeping schools open through the surge of cases the state is experiencing is presenting more and more challenges for school districts around Nebraska. Officials are pleading with parents to avoid holding events for students where the possibility of transmission is high.

Matt Blomstedt, the Commissioner of Education warned people to practice the same protocols outside of school that they do in school. He spoke about how hard schools have worked to get schools to the point they are at now and he does not want that to be ruined because of things that happen in homes.

Papillion La Vista Community Schools says they are short-staffed because of teachers and other school personnel needing to quarantine or are not able to come to the school while waiting for test results. The worry is that classrooms or buildings will need to close, but it is unlikely that any school would go back to full remote learning.

Schools were already experiencing staffing shortages, especially with substitute teachers, but that has only worsened within the previous months. Millard Public Schools was reporting 124 active cases and 707 people were quarantining. Jim Sutfin, Superintendent of MPS says it would be great to have mandatory testing for staff, but the tests are extremely expensive and the district does not have the money to do so.

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