More Cherokee County Students Test Positive For Coronavirus

CANTON, GA — The day after school began for Cherokee County Schools, a second grade classroom at Sixes Elementary School in Cherokee County has been forced to quarantine after a student tested positive for the coronavirus. Now, three additional schools have reported more positive cases on Wednesday.

Three students from a first grade classroom at Hasty Elementary School Fine Arts Academy, the teacher and seven students from an after school program must now quarantine after being exposed on Monday. The student did not show symptoms until after school on Monday, and did not attend school Tuesday or Wednesday, the AJC reports.

Fifteen eighth grade students at Dean Rusk Middle School must quarantine for two weeks after being exposed to the virus by another student on Monday. Againt, the student did not show symptoms until after school on Monday, and did not attend school Tuesday or Wednesday, the AJC reports.

A kindergarten teacher at R.M. Moore Elementary School STEM Academy worked on Monday with no symptoms until after school on Monday. She did not return to school Tuesday or Wednesday, and is awaiting testing results. However, she did have contact with a family member who has tested positive, so the class and paraprofessional must quarantine for two weeks, the AJC reported.

In a letter from Sixes Elementary Principal Ashley Kennerly sent to parents on Tuesday, "all students who have been deemed a 'close contact' received a personalized correspondence from school."

"In an abundance of caution and in accordance with our Exposure and Response Plan, we will close the impacted class effective immediately for a 14-day quarantine window," Kennerly wrote. "As you are reading this notification, we have implemented CCSD safety protocols in partnership with the Department of Public Health. The affected class will participate in a remote learning model during the closure window.

"We continue to encourage all parents to temperature scan and monitor students closely for any sign of potential illness. Students should remain at home if they are exhibiting any symptoms of COVID-19 including fever, new or persistent cough, headache, loss of taste or smell, fatigue and/or stomach issues (diarrhea.)"

The AJC reported the teacher and 20 students must quarantine from home, and the teacher, who is symptom-free, will teach the class digitally. The student did not show symptoms of the coronavirus until after school, which is when they got tested, the AJC reported.

Cherokee County Schools is one of the first districts in Georgia to start the school year, and most families elected to send their students back to in-person learning.

On Monday, the district started its 2020-21 school year, and of the more than 42,000 students and 5,000 employees, 77 percent will begin in-person.

The school district has set up a coronavirus case status report website, which the district said will be updated on Fridays with the total number of COVID-19 positive cases at Cherokee County schools.

As of the July 31 update, nine staff members have reported a positive case of the coronavirus, including:

• Avery ES: 1 Positive
• Ball Ground ES STEM Academy: 1 Positive
• Creekland MS: 1 Positive
• Creekview HS: 2 Positive
• Hickory Flat ES: 1 Positive
• Indian Knoll ES: 1 Positive
• Mill Creek MS: 1 Positive
• Woodstock ES: 1 Positive

School staff reports include all school-based personnel including, but not limited to, teachers, paraprofessionals, cafeteria workers, custodians, front office staff or administrators, the district said.

The district said starting on the first day of school on Monday, they "will notify students’ parents/guardians and employees whenever there is a positive COVID-19 case at their school. If a student’s exposure to a student or employee who has tested positive meets the Department of Health’s requirements for mandated precautionary quarantine, parents/guardians will be immediately advised; the same notification will be made to employees who meet these requirements. A precautionary quarantine does not mean that an employee or student is sick or will become sick, but is a Department of Public Health-mandated practice, fully supported by CCSD, to best ensure the safety of the student or employee, as well as those teaching and learning around them."

Masks and face coverings are required for staff, and strongly recommended and encouraged for students. Two washable and reusable masks will be provided to students and staff, the district said.

Visit online to view the reopening of school plan.

Related: Most Cherokee Students Attending In-Person As School Year Begins