Cherokee County Schools returned from break Jan. 6, with students back on campuses Thursday.
As of Friday, 105 students and 34 staff were quarantined for possible exposure to the virus, while 16 students and nine staff were positive.
Heather Watson, lead nurse for Cherokee County Schools, said the high number of exposures was due to contacts outside the school setting.
They have talked with the Cherokee County Health Department twice a week to discuss the numbers.
“We’re just watching closely,” Watson said. “Our main concern is having enough staff.”
She added that Central Office staff is scattered at different locations across the district, not just at the office on Andrews Road.
“We will monitor and remain flexible knowing we might need to turn on a dime at any time,” Superintendent Jeana Conley said last week. “It’s not an easy decision at all. Watching the numbers rise is very concerning, but after conferencing with the health department, it appears that the strain that affects children isn’t rampant here.
“We do have growing numbers of our staff in quarantine, so it’s also a threat that we may have to close at some point because of lack of staff. Finding (substitute teachers) has become an impossible challenge.”
Health Director David Badger said the schools did a good job of mitigating risks throughout the fall semester.
Parents and caregivers are asked to contact their child’s school for more information about schedules or to change their child’s status as a virtual or face-to-face student.
For details, call Central Office at 837-2722 or your child’s school.