High School Shifts To Online For One Day

Fire Safety Drive-Thru Event

FARMINGTON — Farmington High School returned to on-site classes Monday after pivoting to virtual learning for one day on Friday because of covid-19 cases on campus.

Farmington High last week announced it had canceled its Sept. 25 football game against Harrison due to covid-19 concerns. In a news release, the district said the school had three players test positive on the senior high team and an additional 22 players under quarantine.

On Thursday, Superintendent Jon Laffoon said he talked to the Arkansas Department of Health and the Arkansas Department of Education and it was decided that if the school saw an “uptick” in cases or quarantines over the week, then the high school would pivot to virtual learning pivot to virtual learning for safety concerns and to allow the campus to be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized.

Laffoon said a staff member (not from the high school) then tested positive last week and the number of quarantined students increased.

The district updates daily a covid-19 dashboard that shows the number of students and staff who have tested positive for the virus district-wide or have been quarantined because of possible exposure to the virus.

As the week progressed, the dashboard jumped in numbers from three student positive cases and 22 students quarantined to five active student cases with 75 in quarantine. All of these are at the high school, Laffoon said. For staff, the dashboard on Friday showed one active case (not at the high school) and two in quarantine, with one from the high school.

The covid-19 dashboard did not change over the weekend.

Laffoon said he submitted a plan to the state to switch to virtual learning for one day and it was approved.

Jon Purifoy, Farmington High

In recognition of Fire Prevention Week, Farmington Fire Department will sponsor its first drive-thru safety event from 9-11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 3, at the fire station,

372 W. Main St. Children can see fire trucks, ambulances and police vehicles. First responders will hand out brackets, stickers and safety information, and firefighters will be dressed in all of their gear. Participants should enter the driveway east of Farmington Senior Center. There will be a fire safety message at each stop of the drive-thru tour.