No plan to close Carson City schools, superintendent says

The Carson City School District has no plans to close schools and has advised students and staff that travel outside the state is not endorsed amid lingering concerns about the COVID-19 virus.

“We recognize the large school districts will impact much of what happens at the rural school district level,” Superintendent Richard Stokes said.

Stokes said CCSD remains close to the recommendations provided by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention. Any information about potential school closures due to the coronavirus for Carson City was not available as of Friday, Stokes said. However, the district was taking steps to sanitize its campuses throughout the four-day weekend, an announcement made in a district-wide call Monday night.

“We know that activities in Clark County School District have been suspended and that’s going to have an impact,” Stokes said.

He said he and the district staff continue to consult with the Nevada Department of Education and the Governor’s Office about school closures if necessary. He also has been in communication with the Board of Trustees, remaining engaged with them as to what steps are being taken daily.

Stokes said parents also have asked about what specific activities have been scheduled and said the district continues to manage schedules going forward.

“There’s a lot of fear,” he said. “We want to keep our students and staff and families safe. We expect it will be a joint effort to make a serious decision like school closures.”

Stokes said he hopes the community will remain vigilant during this time.

“We’re just asking that people continue to cooperate with each other,” he said.