School districts take different approaches to COVID surge

WORLAND – Thermopolis joined Ten Sleep moving students to online learning due to increased COVID-19 cases.

Ten Sleep School decided to move their students from sixth through 12 the into phase two of Washakie County School District (WCSD) No. 2’s Adapted Learning Plan (ALP) earlier this month.

They, along with Washakie County District No. 1 and Hot Springs County School District (HSCSD) provided an update regarding their plans with COVID-19 surging statewide.

In a weekly update provided on Friday, Nov. 13, WCSD No. 2 said that five students were quarantining in grades kindergarten through fifth grade as a result of a positive exposure to a relative, and 10 quarantining due to safety concerns. This totaled around 26% of students in K-5 absent because of COVID-19 related issues.

In the update, the district said that there are now no students quarantining due to a positive COVID test but that six are quarantining due to exposure. The district said they know of five students who would probably not attend in-person school out of concer for safety.

This would be 19% of the students in grades 6-12 which would be absent due to COVID-19 if attending school in person. The 19% is significantly less than the 43% of COVID-19 related absences the district experienced prior to implementing Tier 2.

The update says that the district expects the number to grow smaller barring another spike.

The district is expected to remain in Tier 2 of their ALP until Monday, Nov. 30, when the district anticipates most, if not all students and staff will be out of quarantine at that point.

WORLAND SCHOOLS

WCSD No. 1 houses around 1,200 students each and every day, and has seen a slight uptick in cases in recent weeks.

According to numbers provided by Business Manager Jack Stott, there are 12 students who have tested positive in the district, along with 44 students exposed outside of school and 14 exposed at school.

These numbers go along with a total of four staff members who have tested positive, seven staff members exposed outside of school and one staff member exposed at school.

In an interview with Superintendent David Nicholas, he said that the main reason that the district would move into a Tier 2 or Tier 3 of the district’s ALP would be the fact that they would be unable to staff the schools.

Nicholas has repeatedly stated throughout the year the importance of in-person learning for students. He has insisted they would remain vigilant through wearing masks to keep the schools open as long as they did not have a high majority of students out on quarantine, are able to keep the buildings staffed and are not shut down by the state or County Health Officer Ed Zimmerman.

Nicholas said that they communicate weekly with Zimmerman or Washakie County Public Health Nurse Manager Amanda Heinemeyer in order to see how the schools are doing regarding COVID-19 spread in the students and staff.

Nicholas, along with Activities Director Aaron Abel, made it mandatory to wear masks at all times during winter sports last week and all activities at the school. The Wyoming High School Activities Association this week also made masks mandatory for participants and spectators for WHSAA-sanctioned sports and activities.

Nicholas said at this time they have no plans to move away from in-person learning.

HOT SPRINGS SCHOOLS

Hot Springs County School District No. 1 Superintendent Dustin Hunt sent out an update district-wide on Monday as well as on Facebook stating that HSCSD No. 1 would be moving to Tier 3 digital platform learning beginning Tuesday, Nov. 17 until Dec. 2.

Hunt insisted that students keep up with their school work during the more than two week transition to online learning as their coursework during this time will count towards their grades. He said that activities have been placed on hold for the time being, and that information regarding school meals would be forthcoming.

He said in the update that the digital days will not need to be made up at the end of the year, and wants to ask the students, staff and community to do their best to help slow the infection rates.