A surge in positive COVID cases has forced administration at Westbrook-Walnut Grove Schools to take action.
In a letter e-mailed to parents and posted on the district’s Facebook page, Superintendent Loy Woelber stated there had been a dramatic increase of cases over the past 10 days, particularly at the elementary school in Walnut Grove.
Woelber stated the district was making efforts to get students separated, providing more space between desks and discontinuing small group work until the district can slow down the surge in cases.
Woelber, who also serves as superintendent at Fulda, said a similar situation occurred at Fulda a month ago. Spacing of desks and encouraging mask usage helped reduce the number of cases to where they were at the start of the school year. As a result, Woelber stated he would highly encourage students and staff to wear masks in the classrooms.
Additionally, beginning today, Woelber directed that siblings of any students who are currently COVID-positive quarantine at home for a period of seven days, and must test upon their return. If a student chooses to not test, the quarantine period will be 10 days.
Siblings who are vaccinated or who have had COVID in the past 90 days will not be required to quarantine. Siblings of students sent home this week and moving forward will be included in the quarantine directive.
Woelber stated the quarantine directive will be revisited on Dec. 3.
“If we take measures now, we will have a much better Christmas break,” Woelber said.
