LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A typical afternoon for the Bell family consists of getting home from school around 4:30 p.m. Father, Dave Bell, said it's so much easier now that his three boys are back in school in-person five days per week.
“This year is so much better. You can work, but you just have to be there to pick them up at the end of the day,” said Bell.
Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) was virtual most of last school year because of the coronavirus. His oldest son, Sam Bell, was excited to be back in-person this year.
“It’s nice being back. You get to see all your friends again. It’s better and more interactive,” Bell said.
However, it didn't take long before COVID-19 started to derail what they hoped would be an uninterrupted school year. One of Dave's three kids was exposed to COVID-19 on the second day of the new school year. All three of his boys had to stay home for several days as a precaution.
That' was their first time dealing with COVID-19 exposure at school, but it was not the last.
On Friday, Oct. 15 they were informed Sam was exposed to the coronavirus at school. It was interesting timing as JCPS was about to start its test to stay program that Sunday, Oct. 17.
“I jokingly told my friend that Sam wants to be first in everything, so he was fresh out of the gate with the test to stay program,” said Dave Bell.
For families that opt into the test to stay program, kids who have been exposed to thee virus by someone who has tested positive, can keep going to school as long as they get a negative COVID-19 test result daily. If a student is exposed, they can go to one of 60 testing sites open in the district in the afternoon and evening hours.
Sam was one of the first 83 students to participate.
“It’s convenient as well. Sam goes to St. Matthews Elementary. They have a testing site at Waggener High School, which is basically on the same property," said Dave Bell. "We would just pick him up from school, drive him around the block, get him testing in a drive-through setting. We would get the results back in about an hour.”
Spectrum News 1 also asked Sam how test to stay went. He said the test was no big deal.
“It doesn’t hurt. It like gets up into your nose and itches a little bit and sometimes makes me tear up," said Sam Bell.
He was happy to get all negative test results, so he could keep going to class.
In the Bell household, 5 p.m. marks time to run out for soccer practice. It serves as just another sign things are looking a little more normal for them this school year.
JCPS confirmed 575 students got tested at the districts' drive through sites Wednesday night. While it is unclear how many of those students were in the test to stay program specifically, a spokesperson said they believe a majority of them are.