CCSD to improve protocols for notifying parents of positive COVID-19 cases

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – Charleston County School District (CCSD) leaders are responding to the criticism they’ve received since allowing students to return to in-person learning on January 4th.

Parents and teachers have been expressing their concerns over the last week.

While many say they are against students being back in the classroom at all, others are concerned with the district’s lack of policy on notifying parents if a child tests positive for COVID-19 in their student’s class.

In Monday’s board meeting, CCSD leaders discussed parent notifying with Superintendent Gerrita Postlewait.

“It is pretty standard for school districts across the state — small and large — are doing classroom notification…can we get a plan for classroom notification?” says board member Cindy Bohn Coats.

Dr. Postlewait says it is a more complicated matter than one might think; specifically middle and high school.

“It will be very difficult to do this at the middle and high school levels because if you think about it — kids change classes every period. You can imagine just how complex that is so we’re going to start at the Elementary level,” she says.

No concrete decisions on classroom notifications came out of Monday’s meeting, however, Dr. Postlewait says she is planning on working with the principals of CCSD’s elementary schools to reach the best decision.