Starmount High School will be closed to students and staff for several days due to the rise in COVID-19 cases.
“We made the decision to transition Starmount High to remote for the rest of this week and next. Right now, after consulting with the health department, I believe we can resume face to face instruction on Monday, Jan. 25. In the meantime, the campus will be closed to all personnel, with the exception of custodial and maintenance, today and tomorrow. Teachers have been instructed to work from home and provide for students remotely,” Yadkin County Schools Superintendent Dr. Todd Martin said on Thursday.
“We plan to conduct a deep cleaning of all classrooms, restrooms, workrooms, athletic facilities and offices over the next two days,” Martin added.
After school activities have been cancelled for the rest of this week and Martin said a decision would be made early next week about after school activities for next week.
Curbside meal service at Starmount Middle School will be provided for students from Starmount High School.
“Students or the parents of students may pick up meals from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday through Friday while we are having school remotely,” said Martin.
Students will not have remote learning on Monday, Jan. 18 as the school system will be closed for the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday.
Martin said that he asked for help from parents in a message sent to Starmount students’ parents.
“First, if someone in the household has a positive test result or is symptomatic, I’ve asked them to keep all their students at home, even if their other children are not symptomatic. Secondly, we are seeing groups of students gather outside of school and then various ones contract COVID. They don’t know they have it and then come to school and we have to quarantine anyone who is deemed to be a contact,” he said.
“We have done so well to this point and the numbers look good overall in our other schools. However, we have to remain vigilant and continue to follow our safety procedures and protocols. Perhaps I’m being overly cautious with Starmount High, but I want to be sure we do what we can to keep everyone safe,” Martin concluded.
Kitsey Burns Harrison may be reached at 336-258-4035 or on Twitter and Instagram @RippleReporterK.
