November 12, 2020
Republic School District Families and Employees,
This morning Governor Parson announced a change in quarantine requirements for those exposed to a positive COVID19 case within the school setting. The full press release can be read HERE, but in essence if the positive COVID19 case and the individual they are exposing are BOTH properly wearing a mask during their encounter, the person exposed may be exempt from quarantining.
At this time Springfield-Greene County Health Department has instructed local school districts to continue with current procedures until they can operationalize the Governor's recommendations.
We feel it's important to share that since the first day of school we have been tracking COVID19 exposures and are seeing very little evidence of the virus spreading at school. Thus, we believe state guidance can be successfully implemented, but will always focus on doing what we believe what is best for students and staff. We will continue to work with the Springfield-Greene County Health Department for any operational changes in response to COVID19.
Should this state guidance be implemented, we expect for fewer students to be quarantined due to being exposed in classroom or bus settings. However, current quarantine practices would remain in place where masks are not able to be worn (during physical activity, lunch, breakfast, etc.). In addition, students and staff with symptoms, with a positive household member, who have been exposed in an unmasked setting outside of school, and those positive for COVID19 would still be required to quarantine/isolate.
As further information is available to us from the Springfield-Greene County Health Department it will be shared with you.
