ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — Ritenour students have the day off on Monday, Nov. 1, but's it's not for teacher planning or staff training. In fact, no one will be teaching, learning or even on campus that day.
On Tuesday, the school district announced Nov. 1 would be a staff self-care day.
"The ongoing challenges of this school year is resulting in unprecedented stress felt by students, families and every staff group in our organization," said Superintendent Dr. Chris Kilbride in a letter to Ritenour families. "The levels of stress I’ve witnessed in our staff have been more concerning than at any other time in my 22 years in Ritenour."
All buildings in the Ritenour School District will be closed and there will be no virtual work or learning. YCare will also not be offered and the day won't have to be made up. In the letter, Kilbride said it's a much-deserved day for teachers, support staff and administrators.
"Our teachers, support staff and administrators at every level have gone above and beyond each day to serve our students and families, often sacrificing important time to take care of themselves," said Kilbride in the letter. "It has become increasingly clear that everyone could benefit from time to focus solely on self-care."
Ritenour will also be closed on Nov. 2 for a planned professional development day.
"We hope the four-day weekend will offer an opportunity for students and families to spend time resting and recharging for the upcoming weeks of school before Thanksgiving break," said Kilbride in the letter.
Ritenour School District is located in St. Louis County and has more than 600 employees, according to its website.