Diocese’s schools restarting under remote learning

Catholic schools run by the Diocese of Las Vegas returned from winter break Tuesday under distance learning because of high COVID-19 case numbers throughout the valley.

Parents were told in a letter Friday from Superintendent Catherine Thompson that remote instruction would continue Wednesday, with in-person classes slated to resume Thursday.

Thompson cited COVID-19 case numbers that have been “accelerating significantly in recent days” — combined with holiday gatherings and travel — as the reason for the two days of remote instruction.

The diocese oversees seven elementary-middle schools and Bishop Gorman High School.

“The Restoration Council’s medical team believes that this step will greatly reduce the likelihood of further transmission following the holiday break,” Thompson wrote.

A diocese spokeswoman didn’t have a further comment Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the Clark County School District, which has more than 300,000 students, plans to resume in-person classes Wednesday after winter break.

New Horizons Academy, a private school in Las Vegas, is operating with remote instruction for the rest of this week.

“COVID cases among our New Horizons community have (soared),” Principal Barbara Bidell said in a Monday email to parents. “We also have construction delays as the folks who are putting in our HVAC system have come across some challenges.”

The Review-journal reached out to a handful of other local private schools — The Alexander Dawson School, The Meadows School, The Dr. Miriam & Sheldon G. Adelson Educational Campus and Faith Lutheran Middle School & High School — all of which are holding in-person classes.