Flint Hills Job Corps has been in communication with local, state, and federal leaders throughout the developments regarding COVID-19 over the past week.
The campus received a directive from Debra Carr, Acting National Director for Job Corps. The directive states “Job Corps is establishing a spring break for all Job Corps centers in light of recent COVID-19 concerns and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines. Job Corps continues to communicate with contractors and other stakeholders, monitor the activities of the state and local jurisdictions regarding school closures and other COVID-19 related activities, and review CDC guidance on responding to COVID-19 in school settings.”
The directive goes on to state, “effective immediately student arrivals at Job Corps centers will cease, and all off campus student activity is suspended.”
Public schools, and colleges and universities in many jurisdictions have spring break. These breaks, in most cases, were extended as a result for COVID-19. Job Corps has no spring break provision. Therefore, effective immediately, Job Corps is establishing a mandatory spring break for all contract and Forest Service operated Job Corps centers.
We want to be clear that “there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in any Job Corps center at this time and, therefore, no evidence of substantial community spread of COVID-19 within the Job Corps community. Nonetheless, Job Corps is directing centers to use the period between March 16 and April 14, 2020, to clean, sanitize, and otherwise maintain the facilities.
As is the custom with winter break in Job Corps, centers and their staff may also use this time for staff development and enrichment,” said Johnny Taylor, Center Director, Flint Hills Job Corps.
Flint Hills Job Corps will provide students with transportation to their home of record or alternate destination.