BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — Warren County Public Schools (WCPS) is implementing new quarantine guidelines for students as it looks to keep kids in the classroom as much as possible.
What You Need To Know
- Students who are a close contact no longer immediately go to quarantine if asymptomatic
- Parents will have the choice of whether to quarantine their child or not if they're a close contact
- WCPS Superintendent Rob Clayton said many close contact cases are negative
- Parents react to the new guidelines
With many ups and downs last school year, the goal this year for WCPS is simply to keep kids in school.
“Our priority from the very beginning is to try to keep our students in school as much as we can," said WCPS Superintendent Rob Clayton. "It’s a tremendous challenge for our students. When they are quarantined and not able to be in class, we noticed a vast majority who have been quarantined due to school contact are not testing positive.”
Close contact students will no longer be forced to immediately quarantine if asymptomatic. That decision will be left to the parents of the students. Emma Nichols, who has a kindergartner in the school system, is in favor of the new rules.
"I believe they are going to do their best to keep our kids up with our education," said Nichols. "If it comes to that, I’m sure they are doing everything they can to protect them.”
Parents like Julia Melton are more skeptical.
“If you are exposed and you know that someone has it and you were in close contact with them I think it is a good idea to keep them home," said Melton.
To date, less than 1% of the WCPS student body is in quarantine due to being COVID positive, according to the district's website. The mask mandate will also continue to be heavily enforced for the foreseeable future.
“As long as we continue to communicate openly, transparently with our community, they will continue to support our efforts," said Clayton. "To keep our kids in school and mitigate the spread of the virus.”
Although the quarantine rules are here, universal masking has been met with positivity by some parents.
“I’m not against the children wearing masks at all," said Melton. "I think it helps the spread of COVID go down, and I am thankful that there is a low rate of active cases in the schools.”
That sentiment is echoed by Nichols as well.
“I feel good because it is protecting the kids from the germs and keeping them in school," said Nichols. "That is important to me.”
The mask mandate will be kept at least through the end of October with the possibility of a greater extension.