In the wake of Kentucky’s state health organizations designating Fulton County “critical” for new coronavirus cases, Fulton County District Schools and Fulton Independent Schools have cancelled in-person learning.
Non-Traditional Instruction (NTI) for Fulton County District schools began Oct. 5 and is scheduled to remain through the end of the week. The district also suspended lunch deliveries. The measures follow reports of at least two positive cases in district schools on Oct. 2, with an additional three confirmed cases as of Tuesday.
Superintendent PaTrice Chambers said the district will continue utilizing NTI for all students until at least Oct. 19, and the absence of new cases will be “the ultimate measure for whether we go back or not.”
Although some students have participated in in-person learning, many were enrolled in NTI before the district dismissal, Chambers said. She said the district is still “following all safety protocols.”
Chambers said the district stands by its decision to open its schools ahead of Governor Andy Beshear’s Sept. 28 recommendation. She noted students have been in school for a month and only began recording positive cases last week.
Fulton Independent Schools has extended their NTI days through Oct. 12. At least 11 new cases were confirmed as of Tuesday. Superintendent Deanna Miller said the decision to extend NTI learning past Sept. 28 comes after two positive cases from students were reported within the district. Miller also credited the Fulton County positivity rate as a key factor in extending NTI learning.
Fulton County has 179 total cases and is considered a “critical” county based on the K-12 Education Metrics provided by theKentucky Public Health Department and the Kentucky Department of Education.
Miller said the district set its benchmark for five or fewer COVID cases across all campuses before returning to in-person learning. She said the community’s cooperation will play a large role in helping that process.
“We need the help of our community. It’s up to our community to get our positivity rate down so that our kids get back in the classroom. We are working for the whole community. We need our entire community safe and healthy.”
