KANSAS CITY, Mo. — St. Teresa’s Academy has moved to a hybrid learning plan after some of its students tested positive for COVID-19.
Grayson Stark was excited to start her first day of senior year at the end of last month, but the coronavirus stole the fun and lifelong memories she never got the chance to make.
“It’s really tough,” Grayson’s mom Nickole Stark said. “I hate that she’s going to look back on this, and this is what her senior year is going to be.”
Stark said her 17-year-old made it two days at school before hearing about several students testing positive for COVID.
“Grayson just said, ‘Mom, I can’t do this anymore. I can’t have the inconsistency,’ which breaks my heart,” Stark said. “‘I can’t have the up and down and not understanding what’s going on.’”
Stark said St. Teresa’s did its best, but class sizes were being cut — taking away her daughter’s opportunity to knock out college credits while in high school.
Grayson chose to transfer, but the decision wasn’t easy.
“Having a 17-year-old girl who has worked her tail off to be where she is, and continues to, and see them having to give things up that are just supposed to be part of what they get to do,” Stark said, “is emotional as a momma, for all of us moms of seeing them go through this.”
Dr. Siabhan May-Washington, the president at St. Teresa’s Academy, said in a statement to FOX4, “We have not had a campus outbreak. All of the positive cases that we had within our community of members last week originated outside of STA programs and campus activities.”
May-Washington also said the school has shifted from full population campus learning to a hybrid model after at least eight STA members tested positive for COVID-19.
The move was made following their Campus Reopening Plan and Decision Matrix, which was developed with their consulting partners and resources.
According to the matrix, 15 or more positive COVID-19 cases in the STA community would send them to full virtual learning.
May-Washington said they intend to go back to full campus learning on Sept. 8.
Stark’s daughter won’t be there.
“She said, ‘Mom, I already know this year is over,’ which is heartbreaking,” Stark said. “She’s like, ‘But I’m just ready to move forward. I want to take these college classes. I want it to count for something, and I want to move forward.’”
Stark is proud of Grayson for doing what’s best for her and encourages other parents to really listen to their kids, especially during these tumultuous times.
