Some Ky. schools begin non-traditional instruction in response to COVID-19

KENTUCKY (KFVS) - Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear recommended schools stop in-person classes for an extended period starting March 16.

This advice came in response to the coronavirus outbreak COVID-19, according to Beshear’s office.

Gov. Beshear said children are able to spread the virus while remaining relatively safe. Ky. officials are taking the steps necessary to protect all Kentuckians.

Following this announcement several Kentucky schools in the Heartland announced plans to close or start non-traditional instruction.

• Ballard County Schools will close on Monday, March 16.
• Graves County Schools opted to close Monday, March 16 through Friday, March 27. The plan is to use NTI Days (Non Traditional Instruction). Schools will be in session on Friday, March 13 and students will be receiving instructions on the NTI process from teachers and principals.
• Marshall County Schools will be closed through March 29.
• McCracken County Public Schools and Calloway County Schools are meeting March 16 to discus how they will implement non traditional education. School officials are encouraging students to come to school on Friday so they can get instruction about how to move forward.
• Carlisle County Schools will be closed for the remainder of the next two weeks while implementing non-traditional institution.

Beshear said NTI instruction is an option and is not required. Those using NTI will not have that day count as a day that must be made-up at the end of the year.

Non-NTI districts may also choose to provide online or hard copy enrichment activities even if not providing NTI instruction.

As of 1:30 on Thursday, March 12, three public school districts already were closed – Harrison County, Owen County and Danville Independent – and another two had announced they were closing Friday.

Beshear said two more districts, plus the Kentucky School for the Blind and Kentucky School for the Deaf, had announced they would be closing Monday.

As of 4 p.m. on March 12 Gov. Beshear said Kentucky had two new positive tests for COVID-19. One was confirmed positive from Fayette County and one was presumptive positive from Jefferson County.

Both individuals area believed to be isolated, one at home and one at a hospital. Twenty-seven cases were tested on March 12.

Gov. Beshear said the Commonwealth has three labs running tests, which include LabCorp, University of Louisville and the state lab.

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