STURGIS, S.D. – The Meade 46-1 School Board on Monday night voted to follow the update Department of Health’s recommendations for contact tracing and temporary exclusion from a school setting.
Contact tracing has been a time consuming process for educators as COVID-19 cases pop up.
Superintendent Don Kirkegaard says the Department of Health will still determine who is considered a close contact in a COVID-19 case investigation and if a quarantine is necessary. However, if the district determines first an individual is a close contact, they will begin quarantine.
“We have went under the premise that as soon as we have determined you are a close contact, we start with the quarantine. And, that’s where we’re at today; even though the department of health hasn’t confirmed it. We have started as soon as our educators have determined it was a close contact. And so, going forward, we’re gonna say that the Department of Health strongly recommends there be a quarantine.”
Kirkegaard says if the Department of Health determines a quarantine should be issued, then any affected student would be asked to stay home from school for the duration of the designated quarantine.
If a student or staff member is presumed as a close contact, but is allowed to remain in school, that student or staff member would have to be symptom free, wear a mask at all times when social distancing is not available and will be required to have their temperature checked twice a day for 14 days.
However, any student identified as a close contact due to a person in their household that tests positive for COVID-19 will not be able to attend school for 14 days.
The board Monday night also approved a set of guidelines for students not considered a close contact but have shown COVID-19 symptoms.
The guidelines allow a student to return to school after being symptom free for 72 hours. They could also return earlier if they have a negative COVID-19 test or note from a doctor indicating their sickness was not COVID-19.
At Monday night’s meeting, board members heard from the prinicipal at Sturgis Elementary, Sturgis Williams Middle School, Sturgis Brown High School and Piedmont Valley Elementary.
So far, the biggest challenges have been at Williams Middle School and the High School.
Principal Chad Hedderman says they have one whole class out due to 5 positive cases and subsequent quarantine.
Sturgis Brown High School Principal Pete Wilson says they had 4 positive COVID-19 cases Monday with 111 in subsequent quarantine.
Despite the cases, all buildings within the district remain at a Stage 2, or orange level.
