By Will Fairless
Associate Editor
Superintendent Dr. Mac McCoy gave an update on the COVID-19 situation in Lee County Schools during the school board’s regularly scheduled board meeting on Jan. 12.
McCoy reminded the board that Beulah High School’s classes have been conducted entirely online, which will continue until Tuesday, and that Loachapoka Elementary School went entirely virtual starting Tuesday, Jan. 12.
McCoy said, “Fifty-eight students have tested positive, 38 staff members have tested positive, and this is where we get hammered why we have to cancel school sometimes and go from face to face to virtual: we have 367 quarantined students and 18 quarantined staff. It seems like a big number and it is a big number, but it’s basically one area that hit most with the students right now.”
He added that Lee County is at the yellow level, or moderate level, of COVID-19 risk according to the Alabama Department of Public Health’s COVID-19 Risk Indicator (alpublichealth.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/ b585b67ef4074bb2b4443 975bf14f77d).
“We are looking at it every day and working with our nurses and working with the department of health,” McCoy said. “We’re doing everything we can to keep kids safe, keep teachers safe, and we will continue to do that and hopefully we can get through this mess.”
In other business, the board:
– approved a request to extend the emergency leave for COVID-related issues.
– approved the 2021-22 school calendar.
– approved 14 out-of-state field trips for Smiths Station High School sports teams.
– approved the Monthly Financial Report and Cash Reconciliation for the Month of November from Ken
Roberts.
The Lee County School Board meets at 6 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month at its central office at 2410 Society Hill Road. The board’s next meeting is scheduled for Feb. 9.