Jackson County teachers, students test positive for COVID-19 before 1st day of school
The Jackson County School District had nine reported cases of COVID-19 among teachers and students last week, said Superintendent John Strycker.
Five of the cases were students and four were teachers, Strycker said Tuesday morning.
The district is scheduled to start the 2020-21 calendar on Thursday with virtual learning options in place for students, but no mask mandate was included in the reopening plan approved last week by the school board.
Strycker and superintendents across the state realize their plans could change when Gov. Tate Reeves announces an executive order that could apply to schools across the state Tuesday afternoon.
Jackson County has been a hot spot for the coronavirus this summer, with 1,489 of the county’s 1,994 cases being reported since July 1.
The district is keeping up with cases of the coronavirus in its community, receiving reports from local health care providers. Last week, Singing River Health System reported five pediatric cases of COVID-19 from the zip codes included in the school district.
The school district has guidelines it plans to follow in the event that a student or teacher tests positive for the coronavirus during the school year:
▪ If the test is positive, the student or staff member will follow directives given by a health care provider, including quarantining for 10 days or as instructed.
▪ In-person learning will continue for other students in the class.
▪ School officials will notify parents of students in close contact with a student or staff member who tests positive for COVID-19.
This story was originally published August 4, 2020 at 11:44 AM.
