Washington County Enterprise-Leader
Officials Report ‘Good Start’
POSITIVE COVID CASES ANNOUNCED
FARMINGTON — Superintendents from Farmington, Lincoln and Prairie Grove schools gave good reports last week as schools opened again on-site for the first time in five months.
The first week also brought the first positive cases of covid-19 at the three school districts.
Prairie Grove School District posted on its website and Facebook page that a “member of our school family” had tested positive and was in attendance only on the first day of school, Wednesday, Aug. 26.
The school said parents of all students who were in probable close contact were notified. The person who tested positive is in isolation and probable close contacts will quarantine for 14 calendar days as per requirements from the Arkansas Department of
Health. Probable close contact is defined as a person who has been within six feet or less of a known positive for a cumulative time of 15 minutes or more.
No school or classroom closures were necessary because of the positive case, the school said.
Reba Holmes, superintendent of schools, said about the positive case, “It is what it is.”
She said the district has set up an email address for parents or students to email the district with any covid-19 questions.
“I think this has helped,” Holmes said, adding school nurse Danielle Randolph is the school district’s point of contact with the department of health for covid-19 and said she has shown “great kindness” in helping those with concerns.
Mary Ann Spears, superintendent of Lincoln Consolidated School District, on Monday said Lincoln was notified about one positive covid-19 case on Friday and the district was following ADH guidelines.
Farmington Superintendent Jon Laffoon on Tuesday said the district has three positive cases, two at the high school and one at the junior high. The cases were confirmed Monday ( Sept 2), Laffoon said. About 25 students will quarantine. No teachers or staff are in quarantine.
Farmington and Lincoln schools started classes Monday, Aug. 24, and Prairie Grove started two days later on Wednesday. Prairie Grove’s kindergarten students had testing the first couple days and then started their real classes Friday.
“The kids seemed happy and glad to be back in school,” Holmes said.
In addition, she said some students who had signed up for virtual classes had changed their minds and showed up for on-site school. School officials were glad to see those students back, Holmes said.
She figured about 67% of the students are attending in- person classes, though she said she expects that may change as parents finalize their decisions.
Prairie Grove has ordered thousands of face masks, gaiters and paper masks but few had to be handed out because almost all students showed up wearing their own masks, Holmes said. These will be on hand as students need masks, she said.
“I’ve not heard any more grumbling than we would for any other year,” Holmes said. “I think it has gone great.”
Holmes said her administration team planned to meet Friday to discuss the first few days and decide if any changes needed to be made for the second week of school.
Spears said Lincoln students also seemed excited to be back in school.
“It’s gone extremely well,” Spears said after almost four days of classes. “They are being very compliant with all the rules.”
Spears said teachers will give students breaks from wearing face coverings and anticipates they will go outside “for plenty of Vitamin D,” so face masks can be safely removed.
To help with physical distancing in the classes, the district purchased about six classrooms of new furniture. Spears said teachers requested individual desks that could be spread out, instead of tables that have been used for more collaborative student groups.
The furniture purchased is flexible, she said, and can be put together or used as separate desks.
“This helps with spreading out the kids,” Spears said. In addition, she said there are enough students attending virtually in each grade to make it easier for physical distancing in the classrooms.
“We’re feeling good,” Spears said. “We’re glad to be back and hope it all goes well.”
Laffoon, who is starting his first year as superintendent of Farmington schools, said it was obvious students were smiling beneath their masks.
“First off, I’m very thankful we’re back in school,” Laffoon said. “We all know how important school is for children.”
Laffoon pointed out that school is more than education for students. Schools provide other needs for children, such as child nutrition, he said.
He expressed his appreciation to staff members who have worked hard to put plans in place so the district would be ready to start school Aug. 24.
“The first day was awesome,” Laffoon said. “Everyone did a great job.”
He added, “Staff has done a great job of cleaning the schools and students were wearing their masks.”
Laffoon said he realizes the district is going to have to deal with the transmission of the virus.
The hope, Laffoon said, is that the district will be able to minimize the number of cases through its mitigation efforts and the response to any cases will be limited.
The district is encouraging parents to bring their children to school, instead of riding a school bus, to help minimize exposure and allow riders to spread out. The number of bus riders is down this year, and Laffoon said he appreciates parents taking the responsibility to bring their children to school to help with safety.
Laffoon said the Arkansas Department of Education and state health department continue to send new guidelines or rules related to covid-19, and the district will evaluate those as they come in to decide if any changes need to be made.