A note from Superintendent Terrence Beam:
This memo is to clarify the Updated COVID-19 Protocols that were
sent out by the State Department of Education. The last bullet on
the form indicated that universal contact tracing is no longer
recommended for COVID-19. This is a misleading statement. After
further clarification with the West Virginia Department of
Education, the CDC, and the Pocahontas County Health Department,
the word universal does not mean direct.
Pocahontas County Schools are following the above guidelines which are to continue doing direct contact tracing. If someone is positive for COVID-19, they are to
isolate for 5 days and if no symptoms on the 6th day they may return
to school with a mask for 5 additional days. Regarding exposures to
a positive individual, they are to mask for 10 days and monitor
symptoms.
If a parent chooses to not mask their child and remains at
home for the full ten days, those first five days of absences will be
excused through parent notes, but the final five days will be
considered unexcused since parents are making the choice not to
mask their children…which is their right.