IOWA, USA — School district leaders across Iowa are already seeing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic as they welcome back students this week.
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Oelwein Community School District
The 8th grade volleyball team is quarantined after a teacher/coach tested positive for COVID-19, according to the Oelwein Community School District.
The district notified staff and parents connected to two pods in the 4th grade classrooms that have been impacted by this exposure. 31 student exposed or considered in close contact will be quarantined for 14 days and learning opportunities will be made available until they're able to return.
The district launched a new COVID-19 dashboard. It's available here.
Ogden Community School District
There will be no school for at the middle and high schools Monday, Sept. 14 amid a COVID-19 outbreak among students.
According to the Ogden schools Facebook page, numbers of coronavirus cases among students have skyrocketed in recent days. There are 50 students currently in quarantine due to close contact.
Ogden middle and high schools will move to a hybrid learning model on Tuesday, Sept. 15.
West Des Moines Community School District
On Friday, Sept. 11, more than 33% of Crossroads Park Elementary staff were out of their classrooms either because they had tested positive for COVID-19 or they were in quarantine, according to a district email.
Because of this, the school district submitted a request to move the building totally online for the next two weeks. No activities would be allowed in the building through Sept. 27.
The Iowa Department of Education has to approve the temporary move to remote learning.
For next week, the district announced it would transition staff and students at Crossroads Park to online learning for at least Tuesday and Wednesday.
The district has launched a new COVID-19 dashboard. It's available here.
Carroll
Carroll Community schools continue to report coronavirus throughout their buildings.
As of Sept. 14, seven students were home after testing positive for the virus. 114 are in quarantine.
Staff members in the district are also sick or at home quarantining because of COVID-19. Two staff members have tested positive for COVID as of this report, while six are in quarantine.
The county's positivity rate remains high, sitting at 16.7%.
West Central Valley Community School District
In an online letter to families Sept. 10, West Central Valley administrators said a staff member has tested positive for COVID-19 at its preschool-2nd grade building. The district didn't identify who the affected individual was over privacy concerns.
Urbandale
The Urbandale CSD updated their Return to Learn plan online Tuesday confirming 5 students have tested positive for COVID-19 and 26 students are currently in quarantine.
Additionally, 2 teachers are also in quarantine.
Manson Northwest Webster
The entire varsity football team is in quarantine after the district learned of confirmed positive cases Saturday morning. The district posted to their Facebook page saying all homecoming activities are postponed until the week of Sept. 28.
Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont
The Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont school district is moving to a hybrid model after experiencing a "significant outbreak" within the first two weeks of school.
In a letter sent out to parents on Sept. 4, Superintendent Scott Williamson says the district understands "if we do not change, we will continue to receive the same outcomes."
The school district will be in the hybrid learning model for all buildings through October 2.
Last week, the Fremont Elementary Building postponed its start of the school year because a majority of the staff is affected by coronavirus.
Superintendent Williamson told Local 5 120 kids are impacted by the temporary school closure.
In a letter sent out to parents on Aug. 27, Superintendent Scott Williamson said the school year for Fremont Elementary will begin on Sept. 8.
Eight students in the school district are in quarantine for the next two weeks because three parents have tested positive.
Johnston
The Johnston Community School District is reporting four students and two staff members have tested positive for COVID-19.
In addition, the district said 42 staff members and/or students are either isolating or in quarantine.
Johnston Schools have a COVID-19 dashboard on its website here.
North Polk
The North Polk Community School District is reporting three students are confirmed to have COVID-19. The district also said 67 students are currently quarantined due to possible exposure.
In addition, North Polk administrators said one staff member is currently quarantined due to possible exposure to the virus.
The district has a dashboard on its website here.
Mason City
The high school varsity football team has its next two games canceled because of coronavirus. A staff member on the varsity team has coronavirus.
Southeast Polk
A district spokeswoman confirmed to Local 5 that as of Sept. 1, nine students and 11 staff in isolation after testing positive for coronavirus.
14 students are in quarantine due to exposure at school and 23 staff in quarantine due to exposure at school.
Waukee
One student at Maple Grove Elementary in West Des Moines tested positive for COVID-19.
Additionally, three staff members have tested positive. 73 staff and students are currently in quarantine. Buildings with positive cases include: Maple Grove, Walnut Hills, Woodland Hills, and the childcare program.
East Dubuque
A bus driver in the district has tested positive, and now others will likely have to quarantine because of it. School bus service was temporarily suspended on Tuesday.
Woodward-Granger
Sunday, the Woodward-Granger Community School District announced two cases of COVID-19 at the elementary school.
The District says the two COVID-positive students are siblings.
Woodward-Granger CSD says they're working closely with local and state health officials to perform contact tracing.
Anyone who has been determined to have been in "close contact" with these students will receive additional communication on what to do next, the District says.
If you haven't received any additional communication, it means you were not in "close contact" with the COVID-positive students.
The District does not say anything about a quarantine in its announcement, but asks parents and staff continue to closely monitor their students' health, as well as their own.
Keokuk
Sunday, The Keokuk Community School District announced six staff members are quarantining due to testing positive for the virus, awaiting test results, or possible exposure to COVID-19.
According to a Facebook on the district's page, two high school staff members are in quarantine, waiting on their test results. One middle school staff member is in quarantine after testing positive. In the Transportation Department, one staff member is quarantine waiting on test results, another in quarantine to due possible exposure.
The district reminds parents not to send their children to school if they exhibit COVID-19 symptoms.
Read the full Facebook post below.
South Tama
Saturday, the South Tama County Community School District announced on Facebook that a parent of a student-athlete tested positive for COVID-19.
Administrators advised the team to withdraw from competition.The district says they're working with Tama County Public Health officials to conduct contact tracing.
Chariton
The Chariton Community School District has a positive case of COVID-19.
The letter went on to note the person who tested positive is at home recovering, and declined to further release specific information.
The district is planning to continue with their current operations.
Read the full letter below:
Norwalk
69 students and two staff members are currently isolating after potentially being exposed to coronavirus.
Norwalk Schools updated its district COVID information to reflect six students testing positive and one staff member testing positive.
Superintendent D.T. Magee said he understands some parents' frustration about the back and forth because of coronavirus.
Ankeny
Seven students have tested positive for coronavirus in the Ankeny Community School District this week, just as classes began on Aug. 27.
One staff member also is at home recovering from the virus, while 12 other staff members are in quarantine.
27 students in close contact with the positive individuals have also been put into quarantine.
Oskaloosa
13 students and two staff members in the Oskaloosa School District are in quarantine because of coronavirus this week. School started on Aug.24 for students and staff.
Nevada
A 6th grade student in the Nevada Community School District was diagnosed with the COVID-19 by a physician according to the district's website.
The district reported the student may have exposed 21 classmates to the virus. Their families were notified.
Waukee
A spokesperson for Waukee Community School District confirmed to Local 5 a student at Woodland Hills Elementary School tested positive for COVID-19.
Leaders said the student attended school the first day, August 25, but not the second day on Wednesday.
Officials said impacted families received an email notification and a personal phone call Wednesday afternoon.
Waukee Schools said the impacted students will move online for the recommended 14 days.
Adair-Casey-Guthrie Center
The entire varsity volleyball team is in quarantine due to coronavirus, according to the athletics director at ACGC.
In an announcement to the district, a member of the varsity volleyball team has been diagnosed with coronavirus, and now the entire varsity team has to quarantine for 14 days.
The varsity schedule is at least postponed or possibly cancelled up to Sept. 8 because of the virus.
Bondurant-Farrar
A high school student attending Bondurant-Farrar High School has tested positive for coronavirus and is now in isolation.
In a note sent out to parents on Tuesday, the district outlines no others in the school are in quarantine because of the case. They also tell Local 5 a website dedicated to bringing data on coronavirus cases in the district will be set up within the next week.
Twin Cedars
After multiple staff members testing positive for coronavirus, the state Department of Education has approved a temporary remote learning waiver for the Twin Cedars School District for the next two weeks.
The district said in a note to parents that remote learning would begin on Thursday, Aug. 27 and face-to-face instruction is expected to resume on Sept. 8.
Carlisle
Six middle school teachers are out of the classroom and under quarantine after one of them tested positive on the first day of school.
According to the district, a teacher tested positive on Monday and through contact tracing, five other staff members were identified as having close contact with the positive individual.
The impact classes are being covered, according to the district.
Belmond-Klemme
Following two members of the high school football team testing positive for coronavirus on Aug. 22, all members of the team are now in quarantine for the next 14 days. Testing was conducted by the local health department, and public health officials recommended practices be temporarily suspended.
The student-athletes won't be going to in-person classes while they are in quarantine. The team is expected to return to the football field and classroom on September 1.
Adel-Desoto-Minburn
Another student, this one at Adel Elementary, has tested positive for coronavirus. The student did not attend on-site school this year. No other students or staff have been identified as a close contact.
Additionally, ADM was notified that a non-teaching staff member tested positive.
A high school student and a DeSoto Intermediate student have both tested positive for coronavirus. Both students, according to the district, did not attend on-site school this year.
The Dallas County Health Department has identified eight individuals that were close contacts with a student-athlete who be identified as close contacts. Individuals identified as close contacts will be contacted by the state or local health agency and will be placed in a 14-day quarantine.
Des Moines Public Schools
DMPS announced on Friday it would be suing the state to seek an injunction on the Department of Education's denial of a waiver for totally online instruction and a review of whether the state exceeded its authority over local school districts.
In the meantime, DMPS is continuing with plans to begin the school year virtually and will have much more information for parents and students next week.
Indianola
A sixth-grade teacher in the Indianola Community School District tested positive for coronavirus and is now in quarantine, along with seven other sixth grade teachers who were in direct contact with the positive teacher.
The eight affected teachers will be quarantined for fourteen days from the date of exposure, August 19. During quarantine, the district will arrange coverage for the classrooms with substitutes or other staff, and if quarantined teachers are able to work, they will join classrooms remotely through videoconferencing.
District leaders said they are working to find classroom coverage through substitute teachers and other staff, however, under the essential worker law in Iowa, quarantined teachers are allowed to return to work as long as they have been screened and aren't showing any symptoms of coronavirus.
Melcher-Dallas
Melcher-Dallas school district officials made a last-minute decision to begin the year with a hybrid learning model and require masks for students. The first day of school is set for August 25.
The change in the district's Return to Learn plan is due to an increase number of coronavirus cases.
"We know that this is not ideal for many families, but the safety of our students, staff, and community is our utmost concern," the district wrote in an announcement on Friday. "Please understand that this decision did not come lightly, and that we hope to return to in-person learning as soon as possible."
WATCH: What happens if a teacher tests positive for COVID-19?
Mediapolis
District leaders there are delaying the beginning of the year a few days because several students have become exposed or have tested positive for coronavirus. Additionally, the positivity rate for Des Moines County has continued to increase.
Gov. Kim Reynolds has instructed all public school districts to resume school with in-person learning to be the presumed method of teaching. A school may only move to temporary 100% online learning if the 14-day average positivity rate of the county is above 15% and a waiver is granted by the state.
Dr. Jorge Salinas, an infectious diseases expert at the University of Iowa, said recent case counts and high positivity rates in some communities is concerning as we head back to school.
Oelwein
Over the weekend, Oelwein School District canceled its football scrimmage due to a potential coronavirus exposure.
West Des Moines
The West Des Moines Community School District learned Aug. 14 of one person affiliated with the varsity football team who tested positive for COVID-19.
"WDMCS collaborated with the Polk County Health Department to complete a thorough examination of the individual’s activity and determined that no one else affiliated with the football team had close contact with the individual or needed to self-quarantine. (Close contact is defined by the CDC as within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more)," the district told Local 5. "The varsity football team, families, and staff were all notified of the positive case and the outcome of the contact tracing."
The district learned on Aug. 19 that a Crestview School of Inquiry staff member had tested positive, but WDM schools said they are prepared for the first day of school on Thursday, Aug. 27.