LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Konocti Unified School District adjusted homecoming events over the past week after Lower Lake High School’s football teams were placed in modified quarantine because of contacts with individuals who tested positive for COVID-19.
Lower Lake High’s homecoming festivities typically stretch across two days, including a Friday night football game and a Saturday night dance, said Konocti Unified Superintendent Dr. Becky Salato.
However, Salato said both football teams had to go into modified quarantine due to close contacts with a few staffers and one or two students who had tested positive for COVID-19.
She said the contact tracing process required by the California Department of Public Health included about 85 students and 20 staff members.
“The contact tracing is huge,” said Salato, noting principals have to do it daily.
“We always err on the side of doing more than not to make sure we’re keeping everyone safe,” she said.
Ultimately, about 60 students on the football teams ended up being placed in modified quarantine, Salato said. “It was a big group.”
While on modified quarantine, students can attend school but can’t take part in extracurricular activities, Salato said.
The California Department of Public Health’s latest health guidance for K-12 schools in the 2021-22 school year, updated on Oct. 20, explains that modified quarantine is used for unvaccinated students who are close contacts with COVID-19-positive cases; close contact is defined as more than 15 minutes over a 24-hour period within zero to 6 feet.
Students in modified quarantine may continue to attend school in-person if they have no symptoms; continue to appropriately mask, as required; undergo at least twice weekly testing during quarantine; and continue to quarantine for all extracurricular activities at school, including sports, and activities within the community setting, based on the state requirements.
While the homecoming rally took place on Friday, Salato said the homecoming games scheduled for Friday night, matching the Lower Lake Trojans junior varsity and varsity football teams against the Willits High School Wolverines’ teams, had to be canceled.
With so many students missing out on that event, Salato said the school administration wanted to make some adjustments to ensure everyone had a chance to participate in a homecoming event.
So they moved the homecoming dance, which had been scheduled for Saturday night, to the night of Saturday, Nov. 6, the night after the final football game of the season against Kelseyville High School.
Friday, Nov. 5, also is senior night, and Salato said moving the homecoming dance to the following night fit nicely.
Salato said the intent is to keep the students involved. “We know these extra things are important when they've missed so much in other years,” she said.
While COVID-19 is a key concern for educators, it’s not shut down schools so far this academic year, Salato said.
“Fortunately, we have not had any incidents that are considered outbreaks, where we’ve had to shut down completely,” she said.
There have been a few classes, including a special education classroom with 10 kids, that she said had to be placed on distance learning after a contact with a COVID-19-positive individual, a measure taken out of caution.
Salato said Lake County Public Health has been great, and works with the district’s team daily to address COVID-19 requirements such as contact tracing.
“It’s a difficult time for everybody,” she said.
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Lower Lake High homecoming schedule adjusted due to COVID-19 quarantine for football teams
- Elizabeth Larson
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