
Papillion-La Vista South High School, shown here in 2016, and the rest of the district’s schools will be closed to students from Nov. 23 until Nov. 30
Five more metro-area school districts have canceled in-person classes during Thanksgiving week amid increasing COVID-19 cases and quarantines.
The Papillion La Vista Community Schools, the Bellevue Public Schools, the Council Bluffs Community Schools, the Bennington Public Schools and the Springfield Platteview Community Schools joined the Millard Public Schools this week in closing their buildings for the holiday week to give more time for staff and students to finish quarantines.
It also is an opportunity to scrub buildings, they say.
The Lincoln Public Schools also announced that they would not hold classes, giving students a break and staff a chance to catch up and recoup lost planning time.
Papillion La Vista will have no students on Monday, Nov. 23, or Tuesday, Nov. 24, but staff will report, according to Superintendent Andy Rikli.
The majority of students in the district are learning in person, but some are learning remotely.
Bellevue officials changed their calendar to convert Monday and Tuesday of Thanksgiving week to professional workdays for staff, with no school for students.
In both districts, students were already scheduled to have the rest of the week off.
Papillion La Vista students are scheduled to return Monday, Nov. 30. Bellevue students are scheduled to return Tuesday, Dec. 1, because Nov. 30 was already a professional development day for teachers with no classes.
“We know this calendar change may cause some challenges for families, however we hope by closing our buildings for the entire week we can offer a calm break for everyone and allow some time for individuals to finish their quarantine periods,” according to a memo the Bellevue district sent to families.
The majority of Bellevue students are attending school in person.
Council Bluffs students will learn remotely on Monday and Tuesday of Thanksgiving week, with the rest of the week off.
Bluffs Superintendent Vickie Murillo, in a Thursday letter to parents, cited Pottawattamie County’s rising COVID-19 positive test rate and the impact of coronavirus cases and quarantines on schools as key factors in the decision.
Starting Nov. 30, Council Bluffs schools will operate in the hybrid mode, in which students alternate between in-person and remote learning throughout the week. That will continue until Dec. 21, when winter break begins.
Brett Richards, superintendent of the Springfield Platteview district, apologized in a note to families for any inconvenience the change may cause. But he said teachers are “overwhelmed and exhausted” from working longer hours and from teaching both remote students and in-person students.
Springfield Platteview students will have no school on Nov. 23 or 24, and they won’t go the half day they were supposed to attend Nov. 25. The changes give them a full week off.
The Bennington Public Schools will switch to remote learning for the two days before Thanksgiving break. Students will receive lessons for review or enrichment those days.
The extended break will allow the district to rest personnel, deep-clean facilities and be ready for the remaining three weeks of the semester, Superintendent Terry Haack said.
The district intends to return to in-person learning Nov. 30.
The Elkhorn Public Schools announced in October that students will do distance learning the week after holidays and breaks for the rest of the school year. At the time, district officials said trends have shown spikes in COVID-19 cases after holidays and times when people gather and travel.
The Westside Community Schools will shift to 50% in-person learning in all the district’s schools after Thanksgiving because of rising COVID-19 cases. The switch means that students will attend school in person for part of the week and learn remotely for the other part of the week.
District officials said they hoped that the switch will allow for more social distancing in schools and more flexibility to move staff around.
Tim Johnson of the Daily Nonpareil in Council Bluffs contributed to this report.
Our best staff images from November 2020

Olivia Noonan, 3, of Omaha, looks up at Santa outside Mulhall's in Omaha on Saturday, Nov. 28, 2020. Reindeer Dasher and Dancer will be available to see through Dec. 19 at the garden and home store.

Iowa's Zach VanValkenburg catches a fumble from Nebraska's Adrian Martinez after he was sacked by Iowa's Chauncey Golston.

Iowa's Terry Roberts celebrates recovering a fumble from Nebraska's Cam Taylor-Britt.

A photo of Nathan Pastrana, left and Ryan Helbert sit in memorial across the street to the south of the Sonic at 1307 Cornhusker Rd, on Wednesday, November 25, 2020. A shooting on November 21st killed Pastrana, 22, and Helbert, 28, while Zoey Lujan, 18, and Kenneth Gerner, 25, suffered critical injuries.

Ring billed gulls try to stay dry on the dock at Big Lake Park in Council Bluffs, Iowa on Tuesday, November 24, 2020.

The sun rises behind downtown Omaha on Friday, November 20, 2020.

Ord fans cheer on their team as they play in the Class C2 championship game against Bergan.

Protesters gather for the second night outside the Omaha Police Department headquarters in downtown Omaha on Saturday, November 21, 2020. Kenneth Jones, a Black man, was shot and killed by an officer after a traffic stop on Thursday night.

Nebraska’s Cam Taylor-Britt hits Illinois’s Chase Brown after a first quarter run. Taylor-Britt would leave the game with an injury.

Ord players react as their Class C2 championship trophy is handed to them after defeating Bergan.

Omaha Westside quarterback Cole Payton (9) hugs and lifts head coach Brett Froendt following the Elkhorn South vs. Omaha Westside Class A football state championship game at Omaha Westside High School on Friday, November 20, 2020. Omaha Westside won the title 37-21.

Illinois's Josh Imatorbhebhe catches a second-quarter touchdown pass over Dicaprio Bootle to give them a 21-7 lead.

Aurora's Aaron Jividen, right, comforts Jameson Herzberg after the lost the Class B state title to Elkhorn.

The 2020 "Christmas at Union Station" tree is brought inside the Durham Museum in Omaha on Monday.

Nebraska kicks off to Penn State after a second-quarter touchdown to a nearly empty Memorial Stadium due to the pandemic.

Penn State's Will Levis is taken down by Nebraska's Ben Stille on the final down for the Penn State offense during their game Saturday in Lincoln.

Nebraska quarterback Luke McCaffrey, left, and Head Coach Scott Frost, right celebrate their win over Penn State.

Nebraska's Cam Taylor-Britt and Penn State's Jahan Dotson both go up for the ball in the end zone during their game on Saturday in Lincoln. The pass was incomplete.

Nebraska runs out of the field after the tunnel walk before they play Penn State.

Everyone tries to keep up with Nebraska's Luke McCaffrey during their game on Saturday in Lincoln.

Flags of the five military branches are flown during a Veterans Day drive-thru event at Platteview High School in Springfield on Wednesday, November 11, 2020. The student-led tradition, now in its nineteenth year, was held outside this year because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Dean Mathisen looks at memorials before the start of Veterans Days ceremonies at Memorial Park on Wednesday.

A woman waves from her car during a Veterans Day drive-thru event at Platteview High School in Springfield on Wednesday, November 11, 2020. The student-led tradition, now in its nineteenth year, was held outside this year because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Nebraska's Luke McCaffrey is shoved out of bounds by Northwestern's Adetomiwa Adebawore during their game on Saturday in Evanston.

Nebraska head coach Scott Frost walks on to the field with his team fir the start of their game on Saturday in Evanston.

Northwestern's Peyton Ramsey is hit by Nebraska's Luke Reimer and fumbles the ball during their game on Saturday in Evanston.

Isaiah Ross waves a Biden for President flag during a celebration at 72nd and Dodge Streets on Saturday.

A worker disinfects the seats inside Pinnacle Bank Arena between state volleyball matches on Friday, November 06, 2020.

Bellevue West wide receiver Keegan Johnson runs the ball with Kearney defensive back Tanner Johnson on his heels.

Omaha Skutt's Abigail Schomers celebrates a point against against Ashland Greenwood.

People eat lunch under a tree bearing bright autumn leaves at Miller Park in North Omaha on Thursday, November 5, 2020.

The sun sets near Bancroft Elementary School in southeast Omaha. The sun is going down a minute earlier every day, and this evening it will do so at 5:14.

Belleue West players celebrate a point against Papio South.

Derek Rau and his service dog Voodoo walk to a polling booth in Omaha on Tuesday, November 3, 2020.

Alayna Gonzalez, 8 months, sits with her dad, Hector Gonzalez, of Omaha, while waiting for her mom, Ana Gayton (not pictured), to finish voting so he can take his turn at the Disabled American Veterans hall in South Omaha on Election Day, Tuesday, November 3, 2020.

Voters occupy all the booths inside Bethel Lutheran Church, 1312 S. 45th St., on Tuesday. There were close to 30 people in line when the doors opened.

A person votes at the Omaha Community Playhouse in Omaha on Tuesday, November 3, 2020.

Volunteer Jay Mason throws way political signs that were too close to the polling place at Bethel Lutheran Church located at 1312 South 45th Street on Tuesday, November 03, 2020.

Bancroft Elementary School in South Omaha on Election Day, Tuesday, November 3, 2020.

Sidewalk chalk messages at 13th and Bancroft Streets in South Omaha on Election Day, Tuesday, November 3, 2020.

Rep. Don Bacon greeted drivers at 72nd Street and Highway 370 in Papillion.

A spooky reminder to vote in a home's yard near 72nd and Cass Street in Omaha on Thursday, October 22, 2020.

The line for early voting wraps back and forth at the Douglas County Election Commission on Saturday, October 31, 2020.

Rep. Don Bacon leaves a brochure while campaigning door-to-door in Papillion on Friday.

Democrat Kara Eastman keeps an Election Day countdown in the front room of her campaign office at 72nd and Farnam Streets.

Rida Rahman, 4, waits in line with her parents, Hafiz Rahman, left, and Shamsun Ruby, right, at the Douglas County Election Commission on Saturday, October 31, 2020. Rida was dressed as Raphael, from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, while her parents were in line for early voting.