Delta Streets Academy has moved to an all-virtual schedule for this week after three staff members tested positive for the coronavirus.
T. Mac Howard, head of school at Delta Streets, said the move was made out of “an abundance of caution” after the positive tests early last week.
“At the moment, there have been no students who have tested positive,” he said.
Most of the 83 students enrolled in the school continued this year with traditional, in-person instruction, but six students had been following the digital path, Howard said.
In-person classes are scheduled to resume next Monday.
Howard said all athletics are suspended for this week. The Lions were set to play three basketball games between Monday and Saturday.
Delta Streets, which is a member of the Midsouth Association of Independent Schools, had not been reporting its numbers to the Mississippi Department of Health for some time.
The state health officer, Dr. Thomas Dobbs, issued an order in August mandating the weekly reporting of COVID-19 data by all elementary and secondary schools, public and private, but Delta Streets has been absent from the state’s reports for nine weeks. According to Health Department officials, failure to comply is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500 and up to six months in jail.
When asked if the school had reported the recent cases to the department, Howard said that he had submitted the information to MAIS and it was his understanding that the Pearl-based organization would submit it to the state.
The numbers are usually released by the Health Department during the middle of each week.
•Contact Adam Bakst at 581-7233 or abakst@gwcommonwealth.com. Twitter: @AdamBakst_GWCW
