Venture goes "Red," switches to online-only, starting Monday

Venture has moved to the "Red" risk category, shifting 150 students to online learning.

Scott Maben of the Coeur d'Alene School District shared an email Friday late afternoon with the Coeur d'Alene Press detailing the district decision to students and parents at the alternative school. In it, Principal Teresa Kaiser said the move — which goes into effect Monday — comes after severe staff shortages made in-person learning untenable.

"A staffing shortage related to COVID-19 positive cases and associated quarantines for Venture teachers has reached the point that we are unable to continue to fully provide on-site services in our building," Kaiser wrote. "More than half of our teachers will be in quarantine next week."

The "Red" categorization runs from Monday to Friday. Venture is out of school for Thanksgiving break the following week.

"Our goal is to resolve this staffing challenge over the next two weeks and have students return to in-person instruction starting Monday, Nov. 30," Kaiser wrote.

Kaiser added that bringing in substitutes from the district pool would not fill the classroom teacher shortage, precipitating the move.