Dance team student tests positive for COVID, teammates in quarantine

By Roxie Murphy, Staff Writer
Posted 8/5/20

BELLE — Maries County R-2 Superintendent Dr. Lenice Basham said in a district press release on Friday, July 31, that a dance team student who was present at the July 25 Maries County Fair …

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Dance team student tests positive for COVID, teammates in quarantine

Posted

BELLE — Maries County R-2 Superintendent Dr. Lenice Basham said in a district press release on Friday, July 31, that a dance team student who was present at the July 25 Maries County Fair tested positive for COVID-19.

“Today I received notice that a student tested positive for COVID-19,” Basham began in the release. “The student was part of the group that danced at the Belle Fair on July 25. In accordance with the guidelines from the Phelps-Maries County Health Department, the high school students and coach who were exposed have been quarantined for 14 days from the exposure date. The parents of the little dancers who were impacted (within six feet of the positive case for at least 15 minutes) have been notified and asked to keep (kids) at home for the duration.”

Basham encouraged students who were part of the dance camp to stay at home.

“We encourage you to watch for the following symptoms over the next eight days: runny nose, congestion, vomiting or diarrhea, and fever. If your child develops symptoms, please contact your health care provider,” Basham said. “If you were not contacted by the health department or myself, your child is not considered at-risk as a result of this case.”

Some of the students who were part of the little dancers’ team were scheduled to begin summer school on Monday, Aug. 3. Summer school is scheduled through Aug. 14 — next week.

“We had some that the health department asked to stay home this week who are not allowed to attend summer school until they are out of the isolation period,” Basham said. “We are incredibly thankful for the assistance of the health department. They are doing an excellent job notifying when there has been a positive case in the community and precautions we need to take to keep everyone safe.”

Summer school enrollment numbers on Monday, Aug. 3 were 112 students attending classes according to Vanessa Feeler, elementary school principal.

Students enrolled in summer school will be allowed to attend classes as long as they do not have additional symptoms of the virus next week.

“We continue to take all of those cleaning precautions and procedures,” Basham said on Monday. “I trust that parents are really doing what is not only good for their students but the community and following the advice of the health department.”

Basham added that had the positive case taken place during the school year, she has confidence that they would be able to work around it.

“I think as long as we can contact trace who those students have been in contact with, we are going to be ok,” Basham said.

The district mailed parents and guardians a copy of the re-entry plan on Friday, July 31 that was approved at the last school board meeting.

“We have asked (parents) to email us questions and will put out a ‘frequently asked questions’ page once everyone gets the information,” Basham said.

Basham added that the community’s comments on the Maries R-2 Schools Facebook page on Friday surprised her.

“I was really surprised how positive the Facebook community was about the positive COVID positive case,” Basham said. “I was incredibly grateful for the support of the community. I was surprised on the district’s sight that people were kind.”