WICHITA, Kan. - The Wichita USD 259 school board will ask an advisory team to discuss starting school activities. That discussion could happen this week.
The board had voted to suspend fall sports activities for Wichita public schools last Thursday, but decided in a meeting Monday night to reconsider portions of the shutdown.
In a 6-1 vote, the board approved a motion that the committee review the gating criteria that monitors the spread of COVID-19 and corresponding safety level for activities, as any information (including mental health information). In the same motion, the board moved not to require a minimum of five weeks for activities to start once its deemed safe for them to move forward.
The board wouldn’t consider reinstating football for Wichita Public Schools until the percent of positive COVID-19 tests in Sedgwick County dips below 5 percent. One concern expressed Monday night is that Sedgwick County doesn’t have the capacity to test all student athletes in Wichita Public Schools.
The advisory committee likely will meet this week, but the final decision regarding the status of fall sports for the Wichita school district is up to the school board.