Students and staff at Kuemper Catholic Schools have been in classes for about a month now, and President, John Steffes, says they have had only one or two positive COVID-19 cases reported so far.
Your browser doesn’t support HTML5 audio
He adds there has been some confusion with the mask mandate issue and the recent lifting of a state law that did not allow Iowa schools to issue a mandate.
Your browser doesn’t support HTML5 audio
Although public schools can now enact a mask mandate while the state appeals the federal judge’s ruling, the private schools have no such option. Steffes says mitigation strategies remain in place and they are strongly recommending masks. Like other local school districts, there is no reporting of numbers happening right now. Steffes adds they are all thankful that the school year is off to a good start, especially considering what they had gone through in the last year, and that they are all thrilled to have made it to Homecoming—which is this week. The Knights will be taking on his wife’s alma mater, the West Monona Spartans, but there are a lot of activities planned for Friday, before and after the game.
Your browser doesn’t support HTML5 audio
There is also a special pep rally planned for 8:15 a.m. Friday morning at the Holy Spirit Center that will then travel to the St. Anthony Cancer Center for the Kuemper Wave to patients and staff. Steffes will also introduce a new program that will be starting in the next school year in an upcoming newscast.