West Lincoln, Loyd Star on hybrid schedules
Published 8:51 pm Tuesday, August 24, 2021
West Lincoln Attendance Center has moved to a hybrid attendance schedule.
Grades 7-12 at Loyd Star have also moved to a hybrid schedule.
Bogue Chitto and Enterprise will remain on traditional schedules for now.
Superintendent Dr. David Martin said in a parent letter issued Monday that the weekend had seen a significant increase in COVID-19 numbers in the district.
“Due to the nature of school, contact tracing for schools is much easier than the general public. This means we can identify who was a close contact much easier than others,” the letter said. “Once we identify close contacts we are required to begin a procedure of quarantine or testing. We need your assistance in keeping positive students home and away from others.”
Students showing symptoms need to stay home until they receive a negative PCR – COVID test or complete the quarantine time. Students should not be in school while awaiting results, Martin said.
“Through last year and this year what has kept most of our students at home was exposure (not positive). Our exposure numbers are approximately three to four times the positive cases,” the letter read.
Schools will no longer offer rapid testing in-school once supplies run low.
“They will keep enough to complete testing for those students who already began a testing cycle. The cutoff will vary by campus and how many tests they are administering. This means for new exposure cases testing may not be an option,” he said.
Students on quarantine will be required to logon to classes or complete packets to meet instructional requirements set by the state.
“If you suspect your student is positive or exposed, we request you follow the state guidelines and have them stay home,” Martin said via the letter. “We appreciate your patience and understanding as we continue to navigate this ever-changing issue.”