Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette A Houghton Middle School class listens to their teacher during the first day of class in September. Houghton-Portage Township schools have gone back to virtual learning for the remainder of the week.

HOUGHTON — In a Tuesday release, Houghton High School Principal Cole Klein announced online instruction only for the remainder of this week.

“At this time, we feel it is necessary to move students in grades 9-12 to solely virtual instruction for the remainder of this week: Wednesday, Oct. 28, Thursday, Oct. 29, and Friday, Oct. 30,” stated Klein.

Klein said the decision was compelled by a lack of available substitutes to cover staff unable to teach.

“We will evaluate our staffing situation over the weekend and be in communication,” he said. “In addition, we are monitoring several active student cases that may impact future decisions.”

Teachers will instruct, through Google Meets, using the normal daily schedule, stated Klein. All students need to go to their Google Classroom during each class period of the day.

“If a teacher is absent, there will be an assignment posted, but no live Google Meet for the class period,” he said.

Klein added that if technology is an issue for parents or student, please contact the school office. As with the last school closure, he said, families can be supported with Chromebooks.

Despite the closure because of the staffing issue, the school will continue to allow the varsity volleyball team to practice, and the varsity football game, scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 31, is still “a go.”

Students are still able to attend their CTE courses.