While daily life for students was finally returning to normal two years since their release from school due to COVID-19, a recent increase in cases has caused Cherokee County School District (CCSD) to implement new rules once again.  

In response to the rising cases from the Omicron variant, on Jan. 3, the CCSD posted a letter to students and parents outlining new rules and procedures. One of the major changes prohibited parent visits and/or volunteers in any of the schools. This rule will be reviewed for removal on Jan. 21, and the Board hopes to lift it as soon as Jan. 24.  

“We will continue to use ParentSquare messages to notify parents if a student in their child’s classes, on their school bus and/or on their athletic team has tested positive.  We will continue to use these notifications as advisement; there are no plans to mandate quarantines due to close contact,” the letter said.  

Additionally, there are new protocols regarding measures to take when a student or staff member tests positive for COVID-19. While the required quarantine was previously ten days, students and staff now only have to quarantine for five days since symptoms first appeared. When returning to school after the five-day quarantine, students are encouraged to wear a mask until the tenth day of having symptoms but will not be required to; teachers and staff, however, are. 

“I agree [with the update] because I think that it is unnecessary to miss ten full days when most people feel fine after five,” Anna Wolfe, freshman, said.  

CCSD hopes that these new protocols will help contain the spread of COVID-19 in schools while still allowing in-person learning to continue.