KNOXVILLE, Tenn — As Halls High School announces it will move to online learning for 10 days beginning Monday September 21, community gave insight into why that decision was made.
In a press conference on Friday, KCS Superintendent Bob Thomas said the number of students quarantined, or student absence rate, was the primary metric used in making the decision to go online.
"The trend has been over the last several days that that number has increased rather significantly," Thomas said.
Thomas said the surge in quarantined students could not be traced to one specific event.
Dr. Martha Buchanan, director of the Knox County Health Department, said this lack of specification in where the surge came from led the school officials to recommend the switch to online learning.
"It was scattered throughout the school," Buchanan said.
Officials are not providing a number as to how many students are affected, but said it was "significant".
Siblings of affected students will not have to stay at home.
"Contacts of contacts don't have to be in quarantine unless that contact becomes ill," Buchanan said.
At this time, not all students will be tested.
In a tweet sent out Friday, Knox County Schools said Halls High School will return to in-person learning on Monday October 5.
The WBIR Data Team is tracking COVID-19 situation in local schools closely, and you can learn more here: