North Scott High School to close temporarily after 11 test positive for coronavirus - KWQC

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DAVENPORT, Iowa (KWQC) - North Scott High School is temporarily closing due to 11 positive coronavirus tests within the school.

Superintendent Joe Stutting said the school will be closed Friday and Monday, hoping to turn to virtual learning until Oct. 5. Approval from the Iowa Department of Public Health is expected on Friday.

The high school has about 1,000 students, 824 of them choosing to learn in person. In one calendar week, 11 students and staff tested positive for coronavirus. Five of those cases were reported on Thursday, which is when the school decided to temporarily close.

The number of students that tested positive equal about 1.2% of the total population. Two hundred or more students have to quarantine.

Some parents say that’s too drastic of a decision. Nick Hansel, who has four kids at North Scott High School, said he thinks officials are being overly aggressive with contact tracing.

Hansel said he was shocked when he heard the school would temporarily close.

“I was disappointed, Hansel said. “I couldn’t believe it. Online learning is nothing like learning in the classroom. Teachers are taught to teach in the classroom, that’s where it needs to happen.”

Stutting says if the Department of Public Health doesn’t approve their two-week online learning, the district will turn to other learning styles, like hybrid. Stutting emphasized the fact that 85% of students chose to learn in-person.

However, Stutting wants families to remember “that may not be an option if we have to go online or do hybrid until we get it under control and we can move forward from there.”

Elementary and middle schools will remain open because Stutting says their elementary schools haven’t seen any positive COVID-19 cases, and their middle schools have seen their cases “drop back.” He adds, “that doesn’t mean 5 days from now won’t change.”

Elementary school parents like Stephanie Edge are thankful for the decision.

“We think it’s vital they stay open as much as they can," she said. "They need the social interaction and I really firmly believe virtual learning is a bit of a challenge for that age group.”

Edge has two daughters in elementary school.

A press release sent by the school emphasized the spread is a result of community transmission. They ask families and community members to wear a mask, social distance, wash your hands, and stay home if you’re sick.

The Scott County Health Department told the school district that the city of Eldridge has doubled the number of positive COVID-19 cases within the last month, and we can expect to see it double again in less than four weeks.

When Stutting contacted their department of health, they said Northern Scott County has had a jump in their positivity rate from 8.7% last week to 11.8% these past three days.

The high school closure means all activities are canceled, including practices and games.

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North Scott High School to close temporarily after 11 test positive for coronavirus - KWQC
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