By Dave Marner, Managing Editor
R-2 school district officials announced two COVID-19 positive cases between students and staff this past week.
In an announcement made this past Wednesday, school officials received word a high school student had tested positive for the virus and, at the time, no additional action was necessary. That changed, however, as the day went along.
A second announcement texted to family members of students notified them that 17 students were being asked to quarantine due to this positive test. That student had last attended classes Sept. 24 and was not showing symptoms of the virus, the first message state.
The second notice, however, noted “The District has been made aware of a change in circumstances with the positive case at Owensville High School who was last in attendance on Thursday, September 24. There will be 17 students asked to quarantine by the health department through contact tracing.”
Superintendent Dr. Chuck Garner’s text message noted, “Due to the number of students being quarantined, the school is considering all other students at OHS to be secondary contacts (someone who has been in contact with someone being quarantined, but not considered a close contact with a positive case). As a secondary contact there is no further action needed to be taken.”
A message dated Oct. 3 was sent out informing district patrons as staff member at the Owensville Elementary School building had tested positive.
“The staff member last attended school Tuesday, September 29, 2020, and was not showing any COVID-19 like symptoms,” the message from Garner read. “Working with the health department, through contact tracing, it was determined no students or staff will need to be quarantined, so no further action is needed at this time.”
Garner said Tuesday afternoon that the district is “continually working with the health departments whenever we have a case come to our attention.”
The 2020-21 school year is in week seven and the district has one positive staff case currently.
“A significant number of quarantined students are coming back on Friday,” Garner said, estimating about 20 students total who are ready to return to classes.
While neighboring districts have been submitting hybrid plans in case a building is forced to close due to high percentages of positive or quarantined cases, Garner said it would not be feasible to come up with a plan like that for Gasconade R-2.
“A hybrid plan, through our discussion at this time, the way our district transportation and students are, it is not even feasible to discuss what that would look like,” Garner said. “I know other school districts have started hybrid plans. If we would need to do that we would utilize experiences from other school districts.”
