UPDATE: Sibley, Iowa — Two more Sibley-Ocheyedan students have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total to three.
A statement from Sibley-Ocheyedan Superintendent James Craig says that Osceola County Public Health has conducted contact tracing, and families of students that were required to go into quarantine due to exposure have been contacted via email from Mr. Craig or by public health and will be transitioned into online learning for the duration of their quarantine.
Craig says that people that were not contacted by him or by public health before he issued this statement do not have to do anything different at this time.
He says that at last report, there are three positive student cases and 49 students quarantined.
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Original story posted Sep 15, 2020 at 2:38 p.m.:
Sibley/George, Iowa — Some students at Sibley-Ocheyedan schools will have to have another taste of distance learning: a Sibley-Ocheyedan student has been diagnosed with COVID-19. Meanwhile, a student at George/Little Rock who is on their volleyball team has also been diagnosed.
Sibley-Ocheyedan Superintendent James Craig released a statement on Monday that told the school community about the news. He says it does not mean that school will have to close or anything like that.
Craig says that Osceola County Public Health has conducted contact tracing, and says that families of students and staff that needed to go into quarantine due to exposure have been contacted and will be transitioned into online learning for the duration of their quarantine. He says that if you were not contacted by public health before the statement was released, you do not have to do anything at this time.
According to the superintendent, students and staff with a positive COVID-19 test may return to school if all of the following conditions are met:
You’re not taking anything for fever and it’s been at least 24 hours since you’ve had a fever.
AND
Your symptoms are improving and it’s been at least 10 days since symptoms started.
He says if no symptoms develop, students identified as close contacts can return to school 14 days from their last contact with the COVID-19 case.
Craig tells us that Sibley-Ocheyedan Community Schools continue to strongly recommend that staff and students wear masks when six feet of social distancing cannot be maintained for longer than fifteen (15) minutes. Stay home if you are sick. He says the district also reminds parents to take their child(ren)’s temperatures before coming to school and recommends anyone contact their family doctor if they have any of the following symptoms:
● Fever above 100.4℉ or chills
● Cough
● Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
● Fatigue
● Muscle or body aches
● Headache
● New loss of taste or smell
● Sore throat
● Congestion or runny nose
● Nausea or vomiting
● Diarrhea
Craig advises that for the most up-to-date information, you can go to the district website at www.thegenerals.org and click on “COVID INFO” at the top of the homepage. Anyone with questions should contact school nurse Ashley Hensch at (712) 754-3636.
George-Little Rock Superintendent Tom Luxford tells us that their COVID-positive student was on the volleyball team, so the G-LR volleyball program is suspended for two weeks while players are quarantined. Luxford also stated that Lyon County Public Health conducted contact tracing related to the positive case, and families of students that needed to go into quarantine have been contacted.
