The Fayette School District confirmed on Monday that a high school student has tested positive for COVID-19. A letter to parents from Kelly Beeler, the district’s nurse, and Superintendent Jill Wiseman, said that the positive test occurred on Saturday, Aug. 29.

The letter stated that the district is working with the Howard County Health Department to engage in contract tracing. Parents will be contacted by the district in the event their child is identified to have been at a high risk of exposure. “Only individuals who will be required to quarantine as a precautionary measure will be contacted and given information regarding protocol and next steps,” the letter stated.

The district has no plans of suspending in-person classes in favor of online learning unless attendance drops to 80 percent or less due to COVID-19. 

A letter from Mrs. Beeler sent to parents on Friday, Aug. 28 explained that the spike in positive cases throughout the county includes Central Methodist students who choose to stay in Fayette and quarantine.

CMU reported on Thursday that there were 30 active cases among students and five among employees on campus. However, the university only provides updates on COVID-19 cases once a week. A source inside the college confirmed that all CMU athletics are suspended until every athlete is retested. Only those who test negative for the virus will be allowed to practice.

The opening games CMU’s men’s soccer and football teams were postponed and schedules were updated on Monday.

The school board during a special meeting Aug. 4 approved the purchase of 375 additional Chromebooks from Fusion Technologies in Moberly, at a cost of $82,620, much of which will be reimbursed by CARES Act funds that were awarded to the county in May. The devices are expected to arrive sometime in September.

Should the district move to online learning, it’s “Red Level” plan is to issue each student a device which will have the ability to access Google Classroom, Zoom, Seesaw, or other remote-learning applications. 

In addition, the district will purchase several “hotspots” for students who do not have internet access at home. Superintendent Jill Wiseman said the district needs 30 to 40 hotspots. Based on funding received from Missouri’s Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), the district expects to purchase 35. “That should meet the need that most of our families that need it,” she said.

The district is also exploring plans to attach access points onto school buildings which would allow students to access the internet from parking lots.