Geneva High School closes after too many students quarantined after COVID exposure

GENEVA – Ten days after Geneva High School opened for full-time in-person learning, District 304 officials sent all students home for remote learning the rest of this week while they figure out what to do next, officials said.

To be clear, the issue is not a coronavirus outbreak, but the high number of students sent home to quarantine for 14 days after a COVID-19 exposure, according to a a message from Principal Tom Rogers posted today on the high school website.

District 304 officials confirmed today that on Thursday last week, 37 students were sent home to quarantine because of a COVID exposure.

Rogers’ message was posted April 14, 10 days after students returned for in-person learning April 5.

“While we received affirmation from our school community after transitioning to our five days per week model, we are becoming increasingly concerned about the large numbers of students who have been, and may continue to be, quarantined for fourteen days if identified as ‘close contacts’ of COVID-positive cases due to the reduced guidelines in physical distancing,” according to Rogers’ message.

Rogers’ message cited the Illinois Department of Public Health’s direction on quarantine for schools, which states, “Close contacts necessitating quarantine if exposed to a confirmed case continue to be defined as having been within 6 feet of the confirmed case for a cumulative time period of 15 minutes over 24 hours and not fully vaccinated.”

“Due to these guidelines, it is likely that many students will be quarantined when we are made aware of a positive individual,” Rogers’ message stated. “Due to our concerns, Geneva High School (GHS only) is going to implement an adaptive pause and shift to remote learning for all students on Thursday, April 15 and Friday, April 16.”

An adaptive pause means the school will be shut down, while students work remotely.

“During the adaptive pause the district will examine Geneva High School’s learning model and determine what, if any, adjustments can be made to ensure ongoing success for our students,” Rogers’ message stated.

All extra-curricular activities will continue as scheduled.

How many students were out on quarantine was a subject the school board discussed at its meeting Monday night.

High school student Grace Snider, who addressed the board and read a statement from another student said, “It isn’t like one student is being sent home – 37 were sent home in a single day.”

“Isn’t it ironic that this new (in-person) schedule, with the intent of giving kids more face time with their teachers and better education, is so flawed that it is doing the opposite, by getting them exposed to COVID and sending them home for two weeks to learn online,” Snider said, reading from the other student’s letter.