Executive Order Complicating Mask Discussion For Jackson Board
The Jackson County School Board considered whether a mask mandate might help keep the school system open during its Thursday night meeting. Parents on both sides of the topic gave their opinion, as the system is in its second week with 31 positive COVID cases. A mandate was not on the agenda and no vote […]
CDC Change Could Cut Quarantines In White Co. Schools
The CDC has relaxed social distancing guidelines inside schools from six feet to three feet. White County Director of Schools Kurt Dronebarger said this news is an exciting step in the right direction. Dronebarger said this will cut down on education gaps caused by quarantines. “What this will do for our schools is just limit […]
Clay Schools Gauging Interest In Fall Virtual Options
Clay County Schools held five meetings with less than 100 families to gauge their interest in Fall virtual learning. Supervisor of Curriculum and Instruction Misty Strong said the system wanted to show parents how virtual learning through a third-party would work. Strong said virtual instructors answered questions and meetings were recorded so students could watch. […]
Two White Co. BOE Members Want To Review Quarantine Guidelines
Two members of the White County Board of Education want outside medical opinions to revisit quarantine times after concerns of learning loss. The idea was first mentioned by District 1 Member Diana Haston during Thursday’s board meeting. Haston said some students have missed up to 40 days of in-person learning without testing COVID positive. “We […]
Tech Deploys COVID Reporting Tool For Spring
Tennessee Tech has introduced an online COVID reporting tool for the Spring semester to streamline contact tracing. Director of Health Services Leigh Ann Ray said students and staff can report if they’ve tested positive, are isolating and waiting for a test or been in contact with someone positive for COVID. Ray said the reporting tool […]
White County Schools Preparing to Stay Open Until Christmas Break
White County Schools hope to stay open through the end of the fall semester, but are also preparing for a COVID case spike in January. At Thursday night’s school board meeting, Director of Schools Kurt Dronebarger said staying prepared has been essential to schools staying open. Dronebarger said cases were rising before Thanksgiving break but […]
Clay Co. Schools Go Virtual To Prevent COVID Spread
Clay County Director of Schools Matt Eldridge said a recent increase in quarantines drove the school system to virtual learning next week. “Somewhere around Monday or Tuesday, we had six to eight possibly (positive) and maybe 38 in quarantine,” Eldridge said. “Today, this week it has just jumped. That is why we thought this would […]
CDC Reduces Quarantine Time For Asymptomatic Exposures
Overton County Health Department Nursing Supervisor Megan Reeder said quarantining from COVID exposure can now end after 10 days. The CDC made the changes Wednesday after seeing low positivity rates after 10 days of exposure. “On day 11, you can then come out of quarantine with the stipulation that you are asymptomatic,” Reeder said. “You […]
Van Buren Schools Going Virtual Over Teacher Shortage
All Van Buren County schools will go to virtual learning starting on Monday and lasting until December 4. School Director Cheryl Cole said this decision was made based on the number of teachers who were quarantined and a lack of substitutes to fill the positions. Cole said there is not a set number for staff […]
White Co. Schools Face Challenges In Limiting COVID Exposure
The White County School System has about 500 students quarantined, one seventh of the total student population. During Thursday’s Board of Education meeting, Health Services Director Marcie Kinnard presented a representation of how quickly in school exposures can spread over a two week period. “I went through and assigned a letter to every kid,” Kinnard […]
