Cullman County Schools has more than 10% of our district students out of school due to a confirmed positive test, or due to a student being a close contact.
Student Data through 4pm Friday, August 27:
- COVID positive: 198
- Close contact: 820
- Total: 1,018 or 10.8%
Our current enrollment K-12 is 9,425.
The numbers above reflect a change in our calculation criteria. Previously, we were also including unexcused absences in our calculation because we know many (but not all) of those absences are students who are pending a test or are having symptoms. A lot of these instances are an example of a parent doing what they are supposed to do... keeping a child at home if they have symptoms. Once a parent confirms a positive test and notifies the school, that child is then factored into the positive number. We appreciate those parents who are being proactive by not sending students with symptoms to school.
Regardless of the criteria, we are seeing high numbers in Good Hope and at Parkside. Those campuses are closed as previously reported. Numbers are increasing across the district, and it is possible we will see more campuses going remote. While masks are not popular, we strongly advise everyone to wear one. If your child attends a school where COVID percentages are over 15 percent, masks are required… and that has been communicated from each individual school principal.
Cullman County Schools does not have legal authority to require infected or exposed persons to quarantine. That authority is through the Alabama Department of Public Health. The district, however, does have authority to prevent infected of exposed persons from coming on school campuses. In a letter this week to superintendents, State Superintendent Dr. Eric Mackey said “The ADPH has received reports that some school systems are identifying and then notifying close contacts but not excluding those persons from campus. If a close contact is identified, school systems are required to exclude them from campus.” Cullman County Schools is following the state policy and will continue to identify close contacts and require a student or staff member to be off campus for 10 days from the date of exposure.
Child Development Center
Due to high COVID numbers, the Child Development Center will be closed beginning Monday, August 30. The CDC will reopen Monday, September 13.
In addition to three students testing positive and 43 students identified as close contacts… a total of 12 CDC staff members are out due to COVID (8 positive, 4 close contacts).