BEATTYVILLE, Ky. — School is back in session for most of Lee County School District tomorrow. 5th-grade students are being asked to stay at home because it was the hardest hit with COVID-19.

Spectrum News 1 reported on Monday, Aug. 16 that Lee County shut down its schools because of high numbers of positive COVID-19 cases and quarantine efforts were limiting staff. 

In a Facebook post, Wednesday school superintendent Sarah Wasson said, "While we do not like to ask one full group of students to remain out of school, our 5th grade was hit the hardest in both staff and students who had positive results, and we need parents to continue to monitor for symptoms and take your child to his or her physician if you think he or she may be ill."

All 5th-grade students will be listed as quarantined and will be eligible to make up work if teachers haven't had the chance to set up their Google Classrooms.

Wasson added the district will determine Friday if 5th graders would be able to return to class next week. 

Lee County School District has a contract with Wild Health for testing and vaccinations. Parents can fill out a testing consent form on the district's website and students will receive permission slips on Thursday. If parents sign the consent form, students will be eligible for routine screenings or testing anytime they show symptoms or are around a positive case of COVID-19. This is an optional program being offered by the school.

The district stressed it is important for children to stay home if they show any signs of being sick. Symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, headaches, body aches, loss of smell and several other symptoms. If your child shows any of these signs they need to be seen by a doctor. 

Superintendent Wasson said in her social media post, "The recent surge in the delta variant of COVID-19 appears to be more contagious and be spreading quickly through our community. To help stop the spread, we need to work together both inside of school and outside to try to maintain social distancing or gather in small groups, wear masks when in school or outside of school when in proximity to those outside your family, and follow CDC recommendations to reduce transmission."

Wasson encouraged parents to consider getting their children 12 and older vaccinated. She added the majority of the staff that tested positive had not been vaccinated and those that did receive shots seem to have fewer symptoms. All students and staff are required to wear masks unless the school has an exemption on file.