The Liberty County School System released their weekly COVID-19 report Friday Oct. 16 on their website. The report which covers the week of Oct. 12 through Oct. 16, noted that 18 students and seven LCSS staff were placed into quarantine status as a result of school-based close contact. The report stated that one LCSS staff, with school-based close contact, had tested positive for COVID-19.
Midway Middle School Principal Vivian Gilliard issued a letter dated Oct. 16 to the parents and guardians of students who may have been exposed. The letter stated:
“This letter is to notify you of a confirmed positive case of COVID-19 at Midway Middle School this week. Department of Public Health guidance and procedures were followed for contract tracing at the school. Students and staff members who were deemed to have close contact to the individual were asked to quarantine. If you did not receive a phone call and a letter from Midway Middle School regarding this case, your child was not identified as having close contact with the individual who tested positive.”
On Monday Bradwell Institute Principal Roland Van Horn sent out a similar letter stating that BI was recently notified of two confirmed positive cases of COVID-19, one on Oct. 16 and the other on Sunday Oct. 18.
According to the Georgia Department of Health’s return to school guidelines:
Symptomatic persons with confirmed COVID-19 or suspected COVID-19
• Who had mild or moderate illness and are not severely immunocompromised can return to school or childcare after:
o At least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared and
o At least 24 hours have passed since last fever without the use of fever-reducing
medications and
o Symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath) have improved
• Who had severe to critical illness (if they were hospitalized for shortness of breath, pneumonia, low oxygen levels, respiratory failure, septic shock, and/or multiple organ failure) or who are severely immunocompromised can return to school or childcare after:
o At least 20 days have passed since symptoms first appeared
o At least 24 hours have passed since last fever without the use of fever-reducing
medications and
o Symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath) have improved
Asymptomatic persons with confirmed COVID-19:
• Who are not severely immunocompromised can return to school or childcare after:
o At least 10 days have passed since the positive laboratory test and the person
remains asymptomatic
• Who are severely immunocompromised can return to school or childcare after:
o At least 10 days have passed since the positive laboratory test and the person
remains asymptomatic
• Note, asymptomatic persons who test positive and later develop symptoms should follow the guidance for symptomatic persons above.
Asymptomatic persons who have a known exposure to a person with COVID-19 without appropriate PPE can return to school or childcare after:
• They have completed all requirements in the DPH guidance for persons exposed to COVID-19 found at https://dph.georgia.gov/contact
• Of note, if this person is tested for COVID-19 during the 14-day quarantine period, a negative test result would not change or decrease the time a person is quarantined.
Prior to the release or their COVID-19 report Friday the Board of Education held their regularly scheduled meeting Oct. 13.
The one action was the board’s approval of the school system’s Charter Assurances and Resolutions.
LCSS Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning Dr. Susan Avant, explained that the LCSS Charter contract was set to expire June 30, 2021. She said the renewal process had begun to ensure the charter contract will be ready by July 1, 2021 and the Assurances and Resolution had to be approved by the board to stay on schedule. The final charter contract approval will come before the board before the end of the month.
LCSS Executive Director of Finance, Stephanie Clark talked about the computation of the 2020 millage rate during the meeting. A millage rate is a measure commonly used to determine property taxes. Millage is like a percentage. One mill equals a tenth of a percent. Clark said the millage rate for 2019 was 16.358. Clark said that is they kept the millage rate the same for 2020 it would mean property taxes would increase by 1.74 percent. The millage rate could be rolled back to 16.079 which would mean there would be no increases in property taxes.
However, Clark said the recommendation from Superintendent Dr. Franklin Perry is to keep the millage rate at 16.358 for 2020. Clark explained the recommendation was due to reduced state and federal funding for 2021 as well as an increase in expenditures due to COVID-19. Clark pointed to the expenditures in technology and computer upgrades for virtual learning as well as monies spent for personal protective equipment and sanitation items. By keeping the millage the same it also allows the LCSS to maintain full calendars for employees with no reduction in work force.
Since the LCSS is looking to keep the millage rate the same, they are required to hold three public hearings on the proposed tax increase. The proposed plan is to advertise a Called meeting to be held Oct. 28.
The next two public hearing will be held Nov. 10 with a morning meeting and then a 6 p.m. meeting at which point it would be an action item for the LCSS to approve or deny.