At the Cherokee County School Board on Thursday, June 17, Superintendent Brian Hightower addressed concerns about COVID-19 protocol for the 2021-2022 school year, according to a press release.
School Board members heard from several public speakers about concerns that the Cherokee County School District would continue the State-mandated precautionary quarantines of students and staff due to close contact with someone who has a positive diagnosis for COVID-19.
The mandated precautionary quarantines, which are required of all public schools by the Georgia Department of Public Health, currently can be avoided if a student or staff member is fully vaccinated. The quarantines also can be shortened through specific steps in regard to testing and mask usage.
Hightower said that he has shared CCSD’s data for the past school year with the Governor’s liaison to the Department of Public Health, which shows 22,915 close contact quarantines were required in CCSD, and that 182 of those later tested positive for COVID-19 (0.79%). Hightower also confirmed that he will be requesting the State end the mandated precautionary quarantines requirement for non-symptomatic students.
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