Williamson County Schools is navigating protocols for quarantine, isolation and contact tracing after completing the first weeks of school on campus for grades K-2.
Approximately 200 students are under quarantine, while 70 individuals are in isolation due to COVID-19 as of Aug. 14, according to WCS Director of Operations Mark Samuels.
On Friday afternoon, some parents at Lipscomb Elementary School in Brentwood were asked to pick up their children after a COVID-19 case was confirmed in a classroom.
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"We have been notified of a self-reported positive case of COVID-19 in the classroom," the district said in an email to parents.
The district explained that it would follow health protocols such as deep cleaning, contact tracing and quarantine steps, according to guidelines set by Tennessee Health Department, Williamson County Health Department and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"In following our protocols, the classroom will be closed for cleaning over the weekend," the district email explained.
"The Health Department will begin its investigation on Monday and has recommended that students and staff not return to school until they complete their investigation and close contacts have been notified. If you are identified by the Health Department as a close contact, you will be asked to quarantine at home for 14 days from your last date of exposure."
According to the CDC, isolation occurs when someone tests positive for COVID-19 and is instructed to stay home for approximately 10 days, while quarantine occurs when someone has been in contact with another person who has tested positive for COVID-19 and is instructed to stay home for 14 days.
WCS health protocols also explain that school buildings, classrooms or affected areas will be closed for two days to be sanitized.
More cases expected as more grades return
Superintendent Jason Golden said previously that the district will not shut down an entire school building because of one classroom case. The health department will investigate positive COVID-19 cases through contact tracing on an individual basis to determine quarantine and isolation periods, Golden said.
At the Williamson County Board of Education meeting, school board member Nancy Garrett, 12th District, admitted that the process could be a "bumpy" ride at first.
In Franklin Special School District, Director of Schools David Snowden warned the district's population of 3,385 that there will be cases.
"We can't avoid it. This is a pandemic," he said.
Golden also said the district expects cases to surface as schools begin to reopen to other grade levels next week. Traditional students in grades 3-5 will return to school buildings on Monday, while sixth- and ninth-grade students will return Friday. The rest of traditional students will return Aug. 31.
Ahead of the first day of school, Chapman's Retreat Elementary went remote when a front office staff member tested positive for COVID-19. Meanwhile, Golden announced last Thursday he is under quarantine due to being exposed to COVID-19 by a family contact.
The current rate of spread in Williamson County is 0.49% as of Friday, or "low spread."
The district will reach out to those affected at Lipscomb Elementary on Sunday with more information about Monday’s class schedule. Students in the affected classroom were told to take their Chromebooks home.
The WCS Reopening Framework can be found here, while frequently asked questions covering many categories from disinfecting to screenings, to social distancing in classrooms and lunch protocols, can be found here.
COVID-19 drive-up screenings are held at the Williamson County Ag Expo Park, 4215 Long Lane, Franklin. Hours of operation are 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Contact the state COVID-19 Public Information Line at 877-857-2945 or the Williamson County Public Information Line at 615-595-4880.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: 'We can't avoid it': Continued COVID-19 spread tests Williamson schools' protocols
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August 22, 2020 at 10:00AM
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