Searcy, AR (LP) —The cases of Covid-19 are spiking up all over the world. Searcy High School has seen this spike happen a week after Christmas break and New Years. From the cases only being down to 2% of the school being affected it has reached up to 11% and is still rising. Even though covid has become a normal thing in peoples life it still affects many. The staff at Searcy High School have been working on trying to keep school in session, by having to put masks back on and also having to be more strict on the covid rules. But not only have the cases gone up, a lot of staff at the Searcy High School are risking a lot to teach their students and trying hard to not get covid. Within the first couple of weeks since school started Searcy High School has quarantined many students and staff members due to covid. Classes (2 to 7) are having to start meeting in the gym because the High School has run out of staff members and subs.
Amy Dutton, the school nurse at Searcy High School is someone who works with students that get sick at the school. Mrs. Dutton has been working at the high school for three years. With the covid cases rising Mrs. Dutton has to send more students home everyday and with the small amount of resources that she has with one or two of the covid symptoms the nurse is told to send students home and go get tested. Mrs. Dutton explains, “It seems like the beginning of the covid pandemic again. I feel like I’m being more cautious about sending people home because if you come in with one or more symptom then you need to get checked out.”
Searcy High School has had a hard time trying to keep as many students in school as possible but with covid cases rising a lot of students are having to be pulled from school just because their friend knew this other person whose best friend has covid. Mrs. Dutton talks about how with the covid cases going up it is a worry also for the students mental health. Mrs. Dutton states, “One thing that is giving me mixed feelings about us going virtual is students losing their social life. School helps kids with their social life. It has also made many students get anxiety from thinking they may have it to just not knowing if they have it.” With Covid cases going up the best information to take in is being safe and having a mask when out in public.
Josh Weeks, a senior at Searcy High School was affected by covid within school and work. Josh says, “A lot of my friends got quarantined and it just felt like the school was more empty.” Students were getting quarantined for being in close contact with the person who tested positive. Josh explains how covid affected him around work life, “Money was a worry to deal with because of germs and DNA.” Students at the Searcy High School have been affected by covid in so many ways everywhere they go.
Covid cases rising in the school has made the school more cautious and safe when it comes to quarantining and cleaning more. The Searcy High School has been having talks about going virtual and may or may not. School is still public and many staff and students are being quarantined everyday. Covid cases are getting higher each week. Searcy School areas are following procedures as the state says.