COVID Update September 24, 2021

In the spirit of transparency, the Walton County School District (WCSD) will continue to update our stakeholders with COVID-19 data for the 2021-2022 school year. 

We look forward to a time where these numbers read 0%, likewise is our wish for our county, state, and country. We are glad that we are able to navigate through this second year of COVID like we have with the mitigation strategies in place that allow students to be in school, employees at work, and families enjoying some sense of normalcy.

 

COVID-19 Statistics

Single Day Data

(9/23/21)

% of total population (students and staff ~ 13,000)

Overall Data to Date

(8/10/21 – 9/23/21)

% of total population (students and staff ~ 13,000)

Positive COVID-19 Cases

of School District Students and/or Employees

 

4

0.03%

*716

5.51%

Quarantined Due to On Campus Exposure of School District Students and/or Employees

 

6

0.05%

1308

10.06%

Quarantined Due to Off Campus Exposure (Community/Family Exposure) of School District Students and/or Employees

 

4

0.03%

652

5.02%

Schools Involved in Positive Cases and/or Exposure

 

3

 

20

 

 

This week the Florida Department of Education made a revision to their decision tree after the Florida Surgeon General announced a new emergency rule pertaining to COVID-19 student exposure. In summary, if you are made aware of your student having been in close contact to a positive case and your student is asymptomatic, you then have the option to keep your student  in school if they remain asymptomatic or quarantine your student for up to seven (7) days, no more than seven (7) days, since the date of exposure.

Walton County School District will implement this revised decision tree from the Florida Department of Education beginning Monday, September 27th. Upon parent/guardian choice following close contact to a positive case, schools and parents/guardians commit to share responsibility of monitoring symptoms as needed to ensure the safety of students and staff.

 

Walton County School District COVID-19 Mitigation Strategies for the 2021-2022 School Year

  1. If a person is sick (students, teachers, staff, and visitors), they should stay home.
  2. Face covering is optional for all, including the bus.
  3. Hand sanitizer is available at various areas inside the school.
  4. Social distancing from others is encouraged as much as possible.
  5. Signs will be displayed to remind those in schools about social distancing, as well as the use of hand sanitizer, washing of hands, and face coverings.
  6. Cleaning and disinfecting school facilities/buses which are occupied by students will be done daily.
  7. Adequate mitigation supplies are on hand at all schools/facilities (hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes, masks, etc.).
  8. COVID-19 vaccination is optional for all students and employees.
  9. COVID-19 contact tracing is occurring in all schools/facilities (2021-2022 WCSD Decision Tree for employees and students).
  10. At this time non-essential visitors and volunteers are not allowed to enter schools. This mitigation strategy will be revisited in the next few weeks.

 

*Please keep in mind that although COVID positive cases may represent a student or staff member within the WCSD, it does not necessarily indicate that the virus originated within the WCSD.  It is also important to note that a portion of the positive cases involve individuals who may have never entered the school setting while sick due to proper quarantining.