Many schools worked hard this summer to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in their buildings, but some are experiencing positive cases already, including Wapakoneta High School.
Twenty-two high school students were told to quarantine for 14 days after a classmate tested positive for the virus. The classmate showed no symptoms but got tested as part of their workplace's routine. The school nurse has constructed seating charts for every classroom to make contact tracing easier. Quarantined students will continue their education, which includes prerecorded lessons and access to materials on Google Classroom. Wapakoneta City Schools Superintendent Aaron Rex says despite preparation, they entered the school year knowing this could happen.
"I think we’ve done everything we could to be prepared but it’s just like flu season. You know kids are around each other and they’re gonna get sick and unfortunately, with COVID it spreads easily," he explains. "In this particular case, you have to do the best you can to try and prevent that spread. So, that’s why we have to quarantine those 22 students.”
Superintendent Rex says not much will change following this case, but the entire facility is learning how to better communicate and handle these situations to maintain a smooth school year.
