Virus impacts schools

    Murphy – Cherokee County Schools was not immune to the coronavirus during the first week of school. Two students and three staff members tested positive for COVID-19 during the first week, and several more were quarantined for exposure during the week.
    Neither of the students had been to school, lead nurse Heather Watson said. The students attend Andrews and Murphy elementary schools. Of the staff, two had no contact with students, while one had contact with only a small number of students.
    “We’ve been very fortunate that the staff members positive had very little contact with students,” Watson said.
    The positive staff members work at Andrews Elementary, Andrews High School and Martins Creek Elementary/Middle School.
    On Aug. 18, the district had it highest number of quarantines for the week at 42 students and 11 staff members, with Murphy High School having the most students quarantined at 33. Watson said most of the students quarantined were related to issues before school began.
    By Thursday, 24 students and 17 staff members were quarantined, as those students were released. As of Friday, 26 students and 19 staff members were quarantined.
    On Friday, the Andrews area even had to park two buses due to one driver testing positive and four others quarantined for exposure, Superintendent Jeana Conley said.
    “Unfortunately, we are beginning to see it affect our staff – not necessarily that they have contracted COVID, but the numbers getting quarantined are making it challenging to cover positions,” Conley said, adding that the district already was nearing a labor shortage.
    “We will attempt, however, to stay open as long as we possibly can, as long as our cleaning and social distancing efforts continue, and the health department concurs we can continue.”
    The Cherokee County Board of Education chose a hybrid model for students to return to school after Gov. Roy Cooper announced last month that schools may reopen under the state’s Plan B, which reduces capacity in schools, or decide to go fully remote under Plan C. The board authorized Conley to move individual schools or the district into full remote learning, if needed.
    Families had the ability to choose whether their children would attend school in person for two days each week under the hybrid plan or attend school remotely.
    Watson said the schools are working closely with the Cherokee County Health Department to determine who is a close contact of anyone who tests positive and who should be quarantined. She said the health department doesn’t consider mask use in their determination – just within 6 feet for 15 minutes.
    “That’s why we’re really trying to maintain that 6 feet of distance,” Watson said.
    Any students determined to be exposed to the virus will be contacted by both the school and health department. Watson said affected students will receive a letter to bring home, and the school nurse will be directed to call their parents.