The Fayette Board of Education last week approved a change to the district’s Safe Return to and Continuity of Services Plan. The change essentially collapsed the Yellow Level of the plan due to recent court rulings in Missouri.

In compliance with the Howard County Public Health Department, students who are considered close contacts of anyone who tests positive for covid-19 no longer must quarantine and may continue to attend school as well as extra-curricular events as normal.

“The district will continue to contact trace positive cases and notify parents/guardians if a student has been identified as a close contact at school, however, those students will NOT be excluded from school,” wrote superintendent Jill Wiseman in a letter to parents following the decision. “This will allow parents/guardians the opportunity to more closely monitor their student for possible signs/symptoms of illness.  Students who test positive for covid-19 will continue to be excluded from school for 10 days following CDC guidelines and referencing Board Policy EBB for Communicable Disease. It is the goal of our district to keep students and staff members safe and healthy and to keep as many students learning in-seat as possible.  The district will continue to monitor positive cases and adjust our procedures accordingly. The positive case counts will continue to be updated daily on the district webpage.”

As of December 7, the Howard County Public Health Department stopped quarantine requirements for close contacts.

As of Monday, the district reported that three people among the student and staff population throughout the district had tested positive for the virus. Prior to December 14, there had been no positive cases since November 19. Anyone who tests positive still must quarantine for 10 days.

The change stems from a November 22 ruling from Cole County Judge Daniel Green that state regulations granting local health departments the authority to issue health orders violated the Missouri Constitution. Any health orders were declared null and void.

Rules remain in place from the Missouri High School Activities Association governing student-athletes who test positive for the virus.

The district’s Board of Education will continue to monitor and review plans every month.