Area school enrollment numbers, COVID-19 updates
September 16, 2020
Mary Hagens
Barry County schools have been back in session for approximately a month, and the faculty, staff, and administrators are happy to have their students back in the classroom and on the playgrounds. In spite of the COVID-19 epidemic, students are, for the most part, back in their classrooms, and school enrollment has stayed close to last year’s numbers.
Dr. Richard Asbill of Cassville R-IV Schools reported an overall first day attendance, including Pre-K, of 1656 with 109 students enrolled in virtual classes. The total enrollment for the district is 1881. The district maintains a dashboard on its web page and is reporting two active COVID-19 cases and a total school-related quarantine of 109, as of Monday. The dashboard is updated as needed to reflect the latest numbers.
According to Principal Tim Jordan, Exeter R-VI School District had an opening day enrollment of 302 students, an increase of seven over the previous year. Six students chose virtual learning. Exeter has not had any students test positive for COVID-19. One staff member was quarantined due to a positive case at home, but the staff member is back at work. A few students had close contact outside of school and were given a blended model of learning in order to keep up in their classes. Of these, only one student was quarantined. All of the others returned to school.
Mindi Gates, superintendent of Purdy R-II District, reported an enrollment of 642 students, including early childhood students, with 344 at the elementary campus and 298 at the high school. Currently, Purdy has had no positive cases of COVID-19. One staff member was in quarantine due to exposure to a positive case, but the case is not school-related and affects no one else within the district.
Southwest R-V Schools Superintendent Tosha Tilford welcomed back a total of 783 students, a decrease of 36 from this time last year. Of those students, 101 are using the district’s online instructional program, PRIDE (Providing Remote Instruction Daily Education), and three are enrolled in the virtual learning platform Edgenuity. Southwest has had one positive case of COVID-19, and that person was not at school while sick. No one else was quarantined after contact tracing.
Wheaton R-III School District’s Superintendent Dr. Trish Wilson reported that their opening enrollment was 458 students, an increase of seven over last year, and 58 students chose virtual learning. Fortunately, Wheaton has had no positive cases of COVID-19 among its students or staff. One teacher is in quarantine due to exposure to a positive case.
With options available for both in-class and virtual learning this year, school may be very different. Even though changes could occur later, Barry County schools are back in session and seem to be off to a good start.
Barry County schools have been back in session for approximately a month, and the faculty, staff, and administrators are happy to have their students back in the classroom and on the playgrounds. In spite of the COVID-19 epidemic, students are, for the most part, back in their classrooms, and school enrollment has stayed close to last year’s numbers.
Dr. Richard Asbill of Cassville R-IV Schools reported an overall first day attendance, including Pre-K, of 1656 with 109 students enrolled in virtual classes. The total enrollment for the district is 1881. The district maintains a dashboard on its web page and is reporting two active COVID-19 cases and a total school-related quarantine of 109, as of Monday. The dashboard is updated as needed to reflect the latest numbers.
According to Principal Tim Jordan, Exeter R-VI School District had an opening day enrollment of 302 students, an increase of seven over the previous year. Six students chose virtual learning. Exeter has not had any students test positive for COVID-19. One staff member was quarantined due to a positive case at home, but the staff member is back at work. A few students had close contact outside of school and were given a blended model of learning in order to keep up in their classes. Of these, only one student was quarantined. All of the others returned to school.
Mindi Gates, superintendent of Purdy R-II District, reported an enrollment of 642 students, including early childhood students, with 344 at the elementary campus and 298 at the high school. Currently, Purdy has had no positive cases of COVID-19. One staff member was in quarantine due to exposure to a positive case, but the case is not school-related and affects no one else within the district.
Southwest R-V Schools Superintendent Tosha Tilford welcomed back a total of 783 students, a decrease of 36 from this time last year. Of those students, 101 are using the district’s online instructional program, PRIDE (Providing Remote Instruction Daily Education), and three are enrolled in the virtual learning platform Edgenuity. Southwest has had one positive case of COVID-19, and that person was not at school while sick. No one else was quarantined after contact tracing.
Wheaton R-III School District’s Superintendent Dr. Trish Wilson reported that their opening enrollment was 458 students, an increase of seven over last year, and 58 students chose virtual learning. Fortunately, Wheaton has had no positive cases of COVID-19 among its students or staff. One teacher is in quarantine due to exposure to a positive case.
With options available for both in-class and virtual learning this year, school may be very different. Even though changes could occur later, Barry County schools are back in session and seem to be off to a good start.