Southern Boone School District returns to in-person classes despite COVID-19 quarantines

ASHLAND, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Southern Boone School District began in-person classes Tuesday despite having a number of staff members quarantined because of exposure to coronavirus. 

Southern Boone Superintendent Chris Felmlee said the first day back in classrooms went great. 

“I can’t give enough thanks to the teachers, administration and support staff,” Felmlee said. “They are absolutely amazing and really made the day special for the kids and each other.” 

Felmlee said there were no updates made to the re-entry plan drafted for students to return to the classroom. The district is having regular five-day, in-person learning for all students.

He said the district has COVID-19 cases among staff members but that they are quarantined. 

“The number is going to fluctuate as life happens,” Felmee said. “Unfortunately we do have COVID cases here in Southern Boone and that is something I continue to monitor.”

He said the district had 18 staff absences but not all are related to COVID. This prompted the district to use a staffing agency to assist with the return to classrooms.

Felmlee said the district has a group of teachers that will be phasing back into the classrooms this week. 

He also said that everyone has been taking extra precautions, especially in highly congregated areas such as during recess. 

Felmlee said he is monitoring the number of active cases in southern Boone County. He also said the rising amount of coronavirus cases in Columbia is concerning and something he is keeping an eye out for.

“The extreme cases we’re seeing in the Columbia area is a concern that it will creep down into Southern Boone,” Felmlee said. "We all live lives and we all commute back and forth, so the possibility for this to spread is there.”

Felmlee said that if 70 percent of the district's students are out of the classroom because of COVID-related concerns the district would look at changing the methods of instruction to a hybrid model. He said it is similar to the way the district approaches the flu.

“When it becomes so difficult that we can’t find subs or we’ve got groups of staff that are out then that would definitely become a concern and would trigger either the hybrid or we could go directly to the virtual option,” Felmlee said.

He said the district has about 2,000 students and only about 100 families are using the virtual option currently.