By Erica Thomas, managing editor
TRUSSVILLE — Out of the 4,813 students and roughly 323 staff members, the Alabama Department of Public Health’s COVID-19 School Dashboard shows that 15 cases have been reported this week within the Trussville City School system. Statewide, 1,592 cases were reported in schools.
The data shown in the dashboard is gathered by ADPH and the Alabama State Department of Education (ASDE). Each school system is requested to self-report numbers each week.
The zip code that covers most of Trussville, 35173, has consistently had the highest rate per 10,000 in Jefferson County. The school system has experienced both positive and negative reactions since the reopening of schools. The system offers traditional in-class instruction, online-only instruction and blended options, a plan that Jefferson County Health Officer Dr. Mark Wilson has applauded.
TCS Superintendent Pattie Neill said the low number of coronavirus cases within the school system is proof that the school’s plan is working.
“School is the only place where students are continually supervised in wearing their masks in a controlled environment,” Neill said. “Then, parents have to do that individually if they do that.”
Neill said the numbers show that mask-wearing and cleaning work just as health officials said they do. School systems hope parents continue the monitoring when their children come home, in order to protect other students that their children are around during the school day. Neill said she has seen posts and pictures on Facebook showing that social distancing is not always taken as seriously outside school as it is inside school.
For Trussville City Schools, the number of cases for specific schools has not been released, in order to protect the identity of individual students. All schools have been directed to follow social distancing guidelines, monitor the capacity of classrooms and students and teachers must wear masks.
Neill said since the coronavirus pandemic hit the U.S., her faculty and staff have had to step up and change roles in order to make schools safe for students.
“We’re thankful that they stepped up to a new role in responsibilities,” Neill said. “Specifically, the custodians and the nurses this year. And our medically-trained assistants who are for the most part our after-school care workers from last year.”
TCS follows the ASDE’s Back to School Toolkit, which provides guidelines on how to handle students and staff who are feeling ill. Even those who come into close contact with a COVID-19 positive case are sent home to quarantine for 14 days.
In the clinic, there is a “well entrance” and a “sick entrance”. An RN works at the sick entrance and a trained assistant takes students in need of medication or other non-sick needs.
Neill said along with custodians, nurses and teachers, her tech team and School Resource Officers have had to step up and make quick changes in an uncertain time.
“It’s likened to thanking technology last Spring, when everything closed and we had to get the whole Technology Department in a changed role,” Neill explained. “Also, thank you to the SRO’s when school safety was different and when it included other things, including health.”
Neill said despite a rumor that Trussville City Schools will shut down after Thanksgiving, there are currently no plans to do so.
“We all heard that rumor,” said Neill. “That rumor is everywhere. I think it came from a college or a university but not here.”