Great Falls Public Schools will reopen for in-person learning as normally scheduled on Jan. 18.

Health officials are recommending masks and GFPS is recommending that people wear masks when they return on Tuesday but they are not requiring them, Superintendent Tom Moore said on Jan. 16.

Some activities and sports may not be on their normal schedule due to staff or student absences. Some teams have experienced higher rates of infection as well and may have some postponed events. Parents and students should check with individual activity supervisors for updates, according to GFPS.

GFPS waiting until Sunday to determine whether to reopen next week, cases increasing

The district will continue to monitor COVID levels within the district. Infections rates will be posted on a daily basis beginning this week, Moore said.

Moore said during a Jan. 16 Facebook live that they are expecting about 50 teachers to be out this week, with 45 substitutes working, so that they can cover classrooms.

All GFPS schools going remote due to COVID Jan. 11-17

According to district numbers as of Jan. 16, there were 90 COVID cases among staff and 170 cases among students.

Last week, the district went remote due to the high number of staff out with COVID and other illnesses.

According to GFPS, as of Jan. 10, there were 125 staff out with and the substitute fill rate was below 46 percent, meaning there were about 54 classrooms without substitutes across the district.

GFPS approves substitute pay; plan for facility improvements using COVID-relief funds

As of noon Jan. 10, there were 185 COVID positive students and staff within the district, according to the district.

District officials have discussed the lack of substitutes multiple times this year and have added multiple incentives in an effort to recruit more.

Moore said on Jan.16 that they are adding $25 to the base pay for substitutes, which is about $90 per day for regular subs and $100 per day for those with certificates.

GFPS considering additional pay for substitutes

In October, the school board approved incentive pay for substitute teachers who work 25 days or more, including at least four Fridays from Nov. 1 to Dec. 21.