Tonight -- we learned six people -- four students and two staff members -- tested positive for coronavirus in these three schools -- elkmont high school, piney chapel elementary school and sugar creek elementary school.
Because of those and people who have coronavirus-like symptoms, more than 300 students across the district are in quarantine.
Waay 31's will robinson-smith spoke with the superintendent of limestone county schools and the parent of an elkmont student.
He got their reactions to these new cases.
Will?
Superintendent dr. randy shearouse says schools are a reflection of the community.
Because there are cases in limestone county, he said despite their precautions, it's not too surprising to see it in school.
Heath guthrie, parent of elkmont high school students it was just heartbreaking, but i think that everyone did what they were supposed to.
Heath guthrie says his son, jake, was one of the 18 football players who had to quarantine after four students at elkmont high school tested positive for coronavirus.
He says picking up jake that day was difficult.
Heath guthrie, parent of elkmont high school students one of the kids come out, he was a seventh-grade football player, he come out and he talked to his mom and he said, 'mom, what did i do?'
And you know, he didn't do anything.
It's just - it was just unfortunate.
In total 40 students at eklmont high school had to go into quarantine for 14 days.
That includes both his son and his daughter, emma, who is a senior.
Heath guthrie, parent of elkmont high school students i know the kids personally, i've talked to their parents and they're very concerned about the children.
One of them was really sick, now he's ok.
Two days he was sick and now he's fine.
He's bouncing off the walls.
He's ready to get back to school.
Superintendent dr. randy shearouse says across the district, about 300 students were put in quarantine after being around someone who has the virus or someone who was showing possible symptoms. dr. randy shearouse, superintendent, limestone county schools students are coming back now because, you know, a child goes to the doctor, they're cleared by the doctor.
So all those students that we're in close contact with the student with symptoms can now come back.
He said because limestone county is still seeing community spread, it wasn't shocking that cases would show up in the school system.
Dr. randy shearouse, superintendent, limestone county schools i think we knew that we were going to have cases and i think all the experts knew that schools were going to have cases.
Once again, a reflection of the community, a reflection of society and that was going to happen.
And so we had all the safety protocols in place to make sure all our students were wearing masks.
And i'll say our students have done a great job with that.
Guthrie agrees that both school staff and coaches are doing everything they can to keep students safe.
He says the coronavirus experience this year is pulling the community together.
Heath guthrie, parent of elkmont high school students it's a terrible experience because it's a terrible virus, but it's been a great experience how the community has come together and really supported these kids.
Dr. shearouse says generally speaking, like with the flu, if 20 percent of the student population at a school were to get the virus, they would close the school for a period of time.
That said, with coronavirus, there are other factors like how widespread it is in the community that also factor into school responses.
Reporting live in elkmont, will robinson-smith, waay 31 news.
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