Pictured above is the Marysville School District COVID Dashboard as it appeared this morning. The graphic shows mask symbols next to Edgewood Elementary and Bunsold Middle School, as those two buildings are under a mask mandate for the next 14 days because their percentage of students impacted by the virus, through infection or quarantine, held above 6% for three consecutive days. Edgewood’s numbers have dropped below that threshold recently. Northwood has also moved above the limit but has not been there for three days. (Photo submitted)
COVID-19 has already changed the current educational landscape in the Marysville District, just a few days into the new school year.
Though students are just beginning their second week of classes, two schools have already reached a level of virus cases and quarantines that has triggered a return to mandatory mask wearing for at least the next two weeks. Bunsold Middle School and Edgewood Elementary School parents were notified Sunday that students and staff would be under a mask mandate beginning Monday.
“Please be advised that Bunsold has exceeded the 6% threshold for new students and staff members who have been impacted either through the report of a positive case or a first day of a quarantine for the third day in a row,” an email sent to middle school parents read. Correspondence sent to Edgewood parents is nearly identical.
Under the district’s plan for returning to school, if a particular building has more than 6% of its population impacted by the virus, either with a positive case or quarantine, for three consecutive days, the building will go under a 14-day mask mandate. If the building holds above 10% for three consecutive days, the hybrid learning model could be implemented.
Bunsold continues to have the biggest issue with 12 students currently diagnosed with the virus and another 111 students under quarantine. Thirty-two of the quarantined students are under a modified variation in which they are allowed to remain in class but masked. All of the remaining students must serve their quarantine at home and learn remotely.
One staff member at Bunsold also has the virus and there is also one staff quarantine.
Edgewood has two confirmed cases and 25 students under quarantine. During a board of education meeting last week it was noted that many of the quarantines came from one kindergarten class in which the entire group was exposed and sent home.
Edgewood’s numbers are currently dropping and the building now sits at 5.35% impact, but the mask mandate will remain for two weeks.
Bunsold’s number is currently at 13.67%, pushing it above the trigger to hybrid learning. The building had moved above and below the 10% line over the last week.
Superintendent Diane Allen said this morning that the situation at Bunsold is being watched closely but no decision on the return to hybrid learning has been made yet.
The situation in two of the district’s other buildings is also flirting with the 6% limit.
After spending last week below the limit, Northwood Elementary is at 6.30% this morning, but has not been above the threshold for three consecutive days. Mill Valley also finds itself just below the trigger at 5.61%.
None of the remaining buildings in the district are above 3% impact.
As of this morning, the district has 24 cases among students and another 246 quarantined. Of that number, 43 of the students are under the modified quarantine restrictions.
Among staff there are three cases and nine quarantines.