Neeyville school board to meet tonight regarding contact tracing policy

NEELYVILLE — With nearly 85 students out due to contact tracing, the Neelyville School Board will meet Thursday night to discuss implementing a change to its contact tracing methods.

“We have been given the new option from the (Butler County) Health Department on the fourth day to have testing done,” said Superintendent Debra Parish. “Then, if the student is negative, to wear the mask and return to school.”

Parish said she received the option from the health department on Tuesday and scheduled a board meeting for 7 p.m. Thursday.

“The school board is going to review that new policy and discuss it and make a decision whether we will adopt it or not,” Parish said.

The meeting comes one day after the district sent home 84 students.

“We did send some seventh graders home (Wednesday); some eighth graders, and our sixth grade class,” Parish said.

School officials report the students sent home were 52 sixth graders, 26 seventh graders and six eighth graders.

“We have been very lucky in that we have not had many positive cases,” Parish said. “In fact, one or two until this week, and now we have four on campus,” Parish explained.

The students sent home “have been identified having close contact as identified by the Butler County Health Department,” Parish said.

School officials, Parish said, were “feeling so blessed; We had a great six weeks, then all of sudden here it is.”