News Release                                                                     September 8, 2020

The Monroe County School District considers the health and well-being of its children and staff to be of the utmost importance. School officials are working constantly with public health officials to ensure everyone stays safe.

On Tuesday, September 8th, school officials were alerted to a staff member at T.G. Scott Elementary School who has been diagnosed with Covid-19. The staff member is isolating at home. Following pre-established protocols, school officials quickly worked with the Department of Public Health (DPH) to determine those students and other staff who have been in close contact with the staff member while at school.

Under DPH guidelines, close contact includes being within 6 feet of the person with Covid-19 for 15 minutes or more.  Parents of students and those staff determined to have been in close contact with the staff member have been notified by school officials.  As a precaution, parents are being asked to quarantine those students at home for a specified period of time. Appropriate information from public health has been provided to the parents as guidance.

"Our school staff members have planned for and prepared well for just this situation," said Superintendent Dr. Mike Hickman. "Use of seating charts both in the classroom, as well as social distancing and use of masks, have helped to keep exposures to a minimum."

"We are closely following the guidance of our local and regional public health officials," said Dr. Hickman. "Our first and primary goal is and always will be to maintain the safety and health of our students and our staff, along with their families."