NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — More than 80 Putnam County students, seven staff members and a bus driver have already been quarantined during the first week of school, the district announced Friday.
One student at Cookeville High School tested positive for COVID-19, and students who were in close contact with that person have been instructed to quarantine for 14 days.
“These are challenging times for our community and school system," Director of Schools Corby King said in a news release.
"As educators, we believe that in-person learning is best; however, we are keenly aware that there will continue to be positive cases in our schools and in our community.
"We will continue to strive to remain in-person as much as is prudent and feasible while protecting the health and safety of our students, faculty, and staff.”
The district said 80 students are at home due to either having a positive test or being in close contact with someone who was positive.
Seven of those 80 students had positive test results, but had not been at school.
"Many of these contacts occurred outside of the school setting," the district said.
"For example, if a parent in the home has tested positive, this could result in several students being in quarantine. This number reflects all students currently in quarantine regardless of where the positive contact occurred."
In addition, seven teachers and staff are at home due to a positive test or being in close contact with someone with a confirmed positive test.
"These faculty and staff members have not been in close contact with other students or staff," the district insisted.
In addition, a bus driver is at home either due to a test or close contact with a positive person, but "this driver has not been in close contact with other students or staff. "
Beginning next Monday, the district said it would post a dashboard on the school system website with the following information:
● The number of students at a particular school who currently have a positive COVID test.
● The number of students at a particular school who are currently being quarantined due to being in close contact with positive cases.
● The number of faculty and staff in a particular school who are either positive or being quarantined due to positive contact.
This dashboard will be updated daily.
Students who are exposed to someone with a positive COVID test will continue to be contacted by the school and asked to quarantine for a period of 14 days, the news release said.
