Grant Union and Humbolt Elementary are closing their doors because of the local COVID-19 outbreak.

Grant School District 3 made the decision last week for Grant Union Junior-Senior High School and Humbolt Elementary School to transition to comprehensive distance learning according to a press release from the district.

The district has two confirmed cases of COVID-19 at Humbolt Elementary as case numbers rise in the county. The transition to distance learning started Monday.

Grant School District Superintendent Bret Uptmor said the schools will anticipate reopening on Nov. 30 if the number of cases go down.

“We are looking at this through the lens of keeping staff and students safe,” Uptmor said. “We are also looking at this through the lens of making sure we’re back on site as quick as we can because we know, for a lot of our students, that’s the best source of education they have.”

Uptmor said the district received a call from the Grant County Health Department that confirmed there were positive cases of COVID-19 at Humbolt Elementary.

“At that point, I was in a spot where I needed to make sure we’re safely operating our schools, and if we have a case that’s in our schools, that’s where we need to step back, close the schools down and wait for this to pass.” Uptmor said. “… I say wait for the cases to die back down, and we anticipate we’ll be back inside on Nov. 30 unless we continue to see the community spread of COVID.”

Uptmor said he appreciates the school board for supporting his recommendations, the staff for their work preparing for this situation and for support from families.

School districts in Monument, Dayville and Prairie City will continue their current plans with on-site teaching. Long Creek will continue distance learning.

Administrators in each district are monitoring the rise of COVID-19 cases and are continuing to work with the health department to ensure that students and staff are safe in their respective districts.

“In the updated metrics, the test positivity portion could become problematic to our small county, but as a small district we are doing everything we can to help ensure our students continue to receive in-person instruction as long as it is safe,” Monument Superintendent Laura Thomas said.

Breakfast and lunch for children 18 and younger can be picked up at Mt. Vernon park, the bowling alley parking lot in John Day, the Seventh Street Complex near the pond in John Day and at Humbolt Elementary. The meals can be picked up from 7:30-8 a.m. for breakfast and at 12:30-1 p.m. for lunch Mondays through Thursdays.

“We are looking at this through the lens of keeping staff and students safe. We are also looking at this through the lens of making sure we’re back on site as quick as we can because we know, for a lot of our students, that’s the best source of education they have.”

—Bret Uptmor, Grant School District 3 superintendent