Bourbon Keeping COVID-19 Protocols In Place

Bourbon Superintendent Dr. Kyle Gibbs said the district is keeping its COVID-19 protocols in place.

Gibbs said they are relying more on self-reporting while requiring students to continue wearing masks during certain parts of the day.

As of Monday Oct. 19, there had been three student cases and three staff cases.

“We have had a few quarantines,” said Gibbs, but added that the numbers have been low. 

Some staff members have had to quarantine because of their spouses, so they taught from home.

“Transportation is tricky,” Gibbs said. As he was discussing the COVID-19 situation with the Independent News, Gibbs had just learned that a bus driver had tested positive (see related story).

Gibbs said that if anything could shut the school down, it would be bus drivers being out for weeks at a time.

A chunk of students are doing distance learning, which was an option given prior to the school year. However, Gibbs said it has been “difficult and stressful” on the teachers.

Some students are simply not doing their school work and interventions are being set up with their parents.

Gibbs said they are being instructed to either send their children back to class or drop enrollment at Bourbon and home school them.

In addition to teaching students in-person and virtually, quarantines are having a disruptive effect.

“It’s hard to be out,” Gibbs said. “One day everything is on track and the next the students are trying to learn from home.”

Gibbs said they have discussed with the health department at what point they can bypass quarantine procedures.

“There’s a little more wiggle room for the staff,” he said.

One option would be that the school board could declare teachers essential workers.

Gibbs said that must still be discussed with governing bodies and lawyers.