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EDWARDSBURG — Due to a continued shortage of bus drivers, Edwardsburg Public Schools will be in remote learning Friday.

In a letter sent to parents Thursday morning, Edwardsburg Superintendent James Knoll announced that the district would go virtual Friday due to a high number of absences in the transportation department.

“The absences are not all COVID-19 related, but rather a collection of personal and health-related issues,” the letter said. “All school buildings will be open regular hours [Thursday] and [Friday] for students to pick up materials or technology for the remote session.”

Bus driver shortages in Edwardsburg began on Wednesday, when the school announced it had to combine routes and have “qualified administrative personnel” drive buses in order to keep school buildings open. Schools in the district were closed on Thursday for the same reason.

According to the letter, all athletic and extracurricular activities will be hosted at their regularly scheduled times, including primary family reading night and the middle school dance. Shared-time and dual-enrollment programs will be hosted, with transportation being provided Friday, but only between the high school and campuses.

“Student health and safety is always our primary concern and that begins with highly qualified transportation personnel,” Knoll said in the letter. “At this time, we do not feel that we [can] combine routes any further, extend driving hours or route length, and provide the high level of safety out district and community has come to expect.”

The district will be closed Monday, Jan. 17 in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.