UPDATE: The Iowa Department of Education approved Greene County Schools’ request for a waiver from in-person attendance Nov. 16-24. Students should leave their building Friday afternoon prepared for remote learning until after Thanksgiving.
The 14-day positivity rate for Covid-19 testing continues to skyrocket in Greene County, hitting 23.3 percent as of Wednesday morning. That rate has increased from 12.5 percent just five days ago.
There are currently 178 active cases of Covid-19 in the county and 160 persons are considered to be recovered, for a total case count of 338.
There have been 141 new cases in the past 14 days, 114 in the past seven days and 57 in the past three days.
The increase in cases has impacted schools seriously enough to prompt the Greene County Schools to request a waiver from in-person attendance requirements from the Iowa Department of Education and move remote learning for all students.
The school board has declined to mandate masks in district buildings twice, both times by a 3-2 vote. The second vote, held at Oct. 21 regular meeting, went contrary to the recommendation of school superintendent Tim Christensen and against the advice of board member Steve Karber, a retired physician.
With Covid numbers seemingly out of control, the board held a special meeting Nov. 11 to discuss asking for a waiver. Board members accepted Christensen’s recommendation unanimously. If the waiver is granted, all instruction will be online from Nov. 16 to 24. The school calendar has Nov. 25, 26 and 27 as days off for Thanksgiving. Students would return to school Nov. 30.
As of Wednesday, waivers have been granted to 24 districts across the state. A school may apply for a waiver if there is at least 10 percent student absenteeism and/or a Covid-19 positivity rate greater than 15 percent in the counties where the district’s students reside.
The school district reported Wednesday there were eight elementary students and six staff members with Covid, seven middle school students and five staff, and six high school students and two staff members. The number of absent students is higher due to students being isolated after exposure but not testing positive, as of Wednesday.
There can be no extracurricular activities while a district is using remote learning only. Middle school wrestling and middle school girls basketball are the sports that would see cancellations of competitions.
The Greene County board of supervisors will hold a special meeting Thursday at 9 am to discuss mandating the wearing of face masks countywide.
