RANDOLPH COUNTY, N.C. — One of the few Triad school districts that went back to school in person is reporting coronavirus exposures in two schools.
Those schools, Trinity and Providence Grove high schools continued as normal Tuesday with impacted students and staff staying at home.
Randolph County Health Director Susan Hayes told WFMY News 2 there were a very small number of exposures at each school.
Randolph County is operating on an A-B day schedule as the new academic year enters its second week. Students wear masks and six feet apart in class.
The district released the below statement from Superintendent Stephen Gainey:
"The Randolph County School System (RCSS) dealt with COVID cases involving exposure of individuals at Trinity High School and Providence Grove High School on 8/24/20. Please know that the school system worked closely on these cases with Randolph County Public Health. All individuals who were exposed to the positive COVID cases at both schools are not permitted on RCSS campuses for 14 days and will participate in school remotely instead. Any person who has been exposed has already been notified of this exposure and told not to come to school, or will be contacted by the leaders of Randolph County Public Health through their contact tracing process. Please know that our school system has followed all of the directives of Randolph County Public Health to ensure the safety of all students and staff members on each school's campus."
Emily Hinesley's son goes to Farmer Elementary in Randolph County. She said the cases at the high schools don't concern her.
"I truly feel like if they feel like the health of their students is in danger, they're gonna make the right decisions and until I see otherwise, I think for me I feel comfortable with Lincoln continuing to go to school," Hinesley said.
Not all parents agree. Some parents commented on social media that they plan to have their kids learn remotely for a while.
WFMY News 2 asked the district whether all parents at Trinity High and Providence Grove High were notified of the exposures or just the parents of children who were exposed. The superintendent declined to comment.
District spokesman Tim Moody said there have been no other coronavirus exposures in the district since school started last week.