ROXBORO, N.C. — A total of 61 students were advised to isolate after Person County school officials were notified of covid-19 cases at four schools. The news came just days before some students are scheduled to head back to the classroom full time.
School officials said they learned Sunday that two students from one family tested positive for covid-19. One child attends Northern Middle School and the other - Person High School.
A staff member tested positive at Helena Elementary School — and there’s another confirmed staff case at Early Intervention Pre-school.
"A little bit, but no more than I thought there would be at first. I feel that eventually all the schools will be affected in some capacity,” said Jordan Alston, a Person County Parent, of her level of fear.
She has a second-grader and said that while it is concerning, her experience has been overwhelmingly positive with in-person learning under the hybrid model. She still supports the transition to full-time in-person learning for elementary students.
“There’s some fear. There is some fear for all of it. But I do feel like the schools are doing all they can,” Alston added.
“I’m pretty impressed with how the school is handing things. They are making sure students are social distanced and wearing their masks,” added Jermaine Wallace, a parent of three students.
As Elementary students return to school, students in grades six through 12 will remain under Plan B.
“You have high school and middle schoolers who tend to hang out with friends and do stuff with groups outside of school. That’s where the issue comes in,” added Wallace.
Given the new cases in the district, other parents are not ready to send their kids back to the classroom in person every day.
One parent wrote “I'd rather have my child behind, than arrange a funeral for my son. I’m highly concerned that we will have a major outbreak here in our little town.”
Superintendent Dr. Rodney Peterson said none of the impacted schools were closed because a cluster was not identified. He also mentioned the schools were cleaned before the next group of students entered.
