One dozen additional COVID cases in the public schools

Eight students and four district employees are the latest additions to the COVID tracking page of the Oconee School District.  One of the employees works in the district office.  Two additional classes of some of the youngest pupils have been sent home and assigned return dates.  They are a third grade class at Ravenel Elementary and a first grade class at the Fair-Oak Elementary School.  Dr. Michael Thorsland, district superintendent, yesterday explained why it appears that the infection numbers appear to be especially high in the earliest grades.  He said:  “We have not noticed an increase in any particular grade level.  It seems that our positive cases are pretty equally spread among the different age groups. The difference is that in Pre-K, 1 and 2 (grades), those age levels, we don’t require mask use in the classrooms.  We just  feel like they are too young to be expected to wear a mask all day. So, as a result, when we have a positive case in one of those classes, we go ahead and quarantine those class,” Thorsland said.