School's in - so far

by Scott Pearson, Asst. Editor
Posted 8/12/20

Marshall County schools started well in their first week back since March, but, like everything else during the pandemic, uncertainty remains. “Everyone was surprised with how good it was,” said Director of Schools Jacob Sorrells of the first week of school, as staff and students dealt with new guidelines and concerns due to COVID-19...

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School's in - so far

Posted

Marshall County schools started well in their first week back since March, but, like everything else during the pandemic, uncertainty remains.

“Everyone was surprised with how good it was,” said Director of Schools Jacob Sorrells of the first week of school, as staff and students dealt with new guidelines and concerns due to COVID-19.

“I really appreciate our staff,” he said. “They’ve been great.”

Sorrells briefed the Marshall County School Board about the current landscape at their monthly meeting on Monday.

“This week will tell the tale,” said Sorrells.

Schools are monitoring staff and student health in order to prevent an outbreak which would threaten community health and the ability of the schools to remain teaching in person.

Already some other school districts in the region have closed individual buildings, mandated masks, or changed schedules since the start of the school year as a result of coronavirus spread.

Sorrells made a point of thanking the board for the additional of two new school nurse positions, meaning every school in the system has a dedicated nurse on campus.

He emphasized at the board’s last meeting how important those nurses would be this year in helping protect overall school health.

The first calls went home Monday to students who had been potentially exposed at school, one at Marshall County High School and one at Marshall Elementary School.

As of Monday’s numbers, school data showed six active cases among students, four at Cornersville School, and none among staff.

Four members of staff are quarantined and 33 students. Twenty three students were sent home from school Monday.

Quarantine is required for 14 days after contact, defined as being within six feet for ten minutes of a confirmed positive case.

Students will attend class online during their quarantine period.

At a special called meeting at the end of July, the board voted to declare employees as “critical infrastructure” allowing exposed but asymptomatic staff to continue working, with precautions.

Sorrells told the board that the state Department of Health issued guidelines last week that canceled this option, requiring teachers and staff to quarantine after possible exposure.

Staff shortages due to the virus are considered the weak link for being able to keep schools open, and the county has seen a decline in the number of available substitutes.

Total enrollment as of Monday stood at 5,465 students, slightly down from 5,497 at the same time last year.

To start the year, 1,074 students, just under 20 percent, opted for the virtual schooling option.

Westhills Elementary School has the highest online enrollment at 29 percent with Cornersville School the lowest at 10.5 percent.

Sorrells told the board that virtual learning had not, so far, presented issues but that he expected there to be “growing pains” at some point.

“There are going to be some good days,” said Sorrells, summing up the unknowns of this school year, “there are going to be some bad days.”