Gulf Shores City Schools BoE discuss COVID data

By Jessica Vaughn Education Editor
Posted 1/17/22

GULF SHORES - At both the Gulf Shores City Schools work session and council meetings for January, Superintendent Dr. Matt Akin discussed the current COVID-19 data within the schools. His update …

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Gulf Shores City Schools BoE discuss COVID data

Posted

GULF SHORES - At both the Gulf Shores City Schools work session and council meetings for January, Superintendent Dr. Matt Akin discussed the current COVID-19 data within the schools. His update included information on the recently updated CDC guidelines.
For the school week ending on Friday, Jan. 7, there were 45 positive COVID cases within the school system, or approximately 1.8 %. Positive cases included 39 students and six employees. At the end of the school day Wednesday, Jan. 12, when the council meeting was held, there were 43 positive cases, 37 students and six employees.
“It’s trending up, and we’re keeping an eye on it,” Akin said. “The staff numbers, although they’re small, if for example you have two workers in the same kitchen who test positive, it presents a challenge. It’s trying times, and we’re doing all we can to keep our doors open because we know that’s what’s best for our community, so we’re doing that. But our goal is to keep everyone safe, so we’re monitoring it.”
According to the school’s new guidelines, which can be viewed online at www.gsboe.org, all students and employees should perform symptom and temperature checks prior to coming to school. If a student or employee receives a positive COVID test, the quarantine period has been reduced from 10 days to five days. An individual must be fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medication before returning to school. Upon return, a mask must be worn from days six - 10.
“Check children every morning for symptoms, and don’t send them to school if they’re showing any symptoms,” Akin said. “I know that’s frustrating because some of those symptoms are the symptoms of just the common cold, but if you’re child has a sore throat, runny nose, fever, especially a fever, then please keep them at home.”

COVID numbers within the school system are updated daily on the website: www.gsboe.org.
Also discussed at the January meetings:
• Construction is coming along on the new STEAM edition at the Gulf Shores Elementary School.
• The comprehensive plan for the schools has entered into what could be the final draft. The core team plans to review the draft this month in order to present it to the Board of Education during the February meeting. The public is encouraged to attend the meeting either in-person or by watching online to view the plans. The draft is approximately 140 pages and contains roughly 14 months of work to further enhance the schools.
• The Dolphin Foundation received a donation of $10,000 on Dec. 31 from an anonymous donor.
• The Gulf Shores City Schools new website is now live. The redesigned website is up to date and includes information on the elementary school, middle school, high school, and the virtual academy.