By Taylor Boyd
As COVID-19 cases continue to surge across the country, local school divisions are seeing a decline in positive cases and quarantines for students and staff.
In Henry County schools, data suggested there were 49 cases and 276 quarantines for the week of August 27 to September 3.
Monica Hatchett, director of communications, said the data reflects a decrease in the number of positive cases and quarantines from the week before.
The data suggests Magna Vista High School, Laurel Park Middle School, FC Middle School, and Meadow View Elementary School all have more than 40 students and staff in quarantine, with each school having six or more positive cases. Magna Vista has the largest positive case count with 10, followed by FC Middle and Laurel Park Middle with eight each.
The dashboard suggested that all the elementary and middle schools have a minimum of one case and three in quarantine, and most have upwards of 10 in quarantine.
There were no reported cases or quarantines in the Axton Annex, Career Academy, Central Office, Facilities Maintenance, and Outside Programs.
Hatchett said the school division is also preparing for a potential surge in COVID-19 cases following the holiday weekend.
“We are often cautious in the two weeks following a break like Labor Day holiday because we are not certain the activities students and staff have engaged in outside of the school setting,” she said.
The county school division dashboard is updated by the end of the business on Fridays and can be viewed at www.henry.k12.va.us/Page/22823.
In Martinsville, 85 are in quarantine and there were eight positive cases for the week of Sept. 1 to Sept. 8.
Felecia Preston, director of Pupil Personnel & Foster Care/Homeless Liaison, said Martinsville Middle School has six positive cases and 58 students and staff in quarantine.
Albert Harris Elementary School has 14 quarantined and one positive case; Martinsville High School has nine, Preston said.
Clearview Early Childhood Center was reported to have three people in quarantine and one positive case. Martinsville High School and Patrick Henry Elementary School do not have any positive cases, but Patrick Henry has one person in quarantine.
The school division launched its COVID-19 dashboard Sept. 10. The dashboard will be updated every Friday morning and will reflect the data of the previous week.
