CAMPBELL COUNTY, Va. – In just two days Campbell County has shut down Tomahawk and Rustburg elementary schools for the rest of the week because two teachers tested positive for COVID-19.
School leaders said it’s the last week of summer school in the elementary buildings.
There’s a small percentage of students taking classes and these closures may be a glimpse of the what the school year could look like in September.
“I’m concerned about what this is going to look like. I’m concerned about what it looks like if they don’t go back,” said Clayton Stanley, assistant superintendent for instruction. “We do have a plan on when we have a positive COVID case. Right now, we’re closing school down from 2 to 5 days while we’re contact tracing, notifying the health department.”
Stanley said custodial staff members are trained to disinfect rooms and buses. He showed 10 News the fogger they’re using.
“And they wipe high traffic areas, student desks on a daily basis, in some cases they’ll do that more regularly,” Stanley said.
On the school district’s Facebook page, a lot of parents have expressed worries while others are commending teachers for putting their lives at risk.
Stanley said of the 8,000 students in the county, 1,300 of their parents have chosen to have them learn online.
“It’s important for everybody to know that this is still a very fluid situation and the plan that we have in place will continue to be adjusted,” Stanley said.
School opens in person for Pre-K through 5th grades on Sept. 1.
6th grades through high school will start Sept. 8 with blended learning.
Campbell County said it’s prepared to get devices in the hands of all children should they have to go all remote.