R-IV to close for week

After the Neelyville R-IV school district experienced a sharp increase in the number of people affected by COVID-19, the district will shut down for a week.

The decision was made by the school board during Thursday night’s meeting.

Students will have alternative methods of instruction to work on, which is available on the school’s website.

Last week, the board met for an emergency meeting to discuss contact tracing protocol made available by the Butler County Health Department that would allow students who test negative four days after potential COVID exposure to return to school as long as they wear a mask.

The board decided to make it seven days after potential exposure rather than four. They also voted to postpone Tigerfest.

At the time, 87 students and 13 staff were home either after testing positive, being identified through contact tracing or awaiting test results.

According to the announcement made Friday morning, eight staff and 18 students have tested positive while three staff anf 18 students were awaiting results.

Additionally, 51 people, not including the sixth grade class, were IDed in close contact and told to quarantine.

School offices will be open from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. next week if anybody has any questions or needs help.

The board plans to review the situation at the end of the week and make a decision for moving forward.