COVID-19 in DeKalb District 428: 3 district teachers, Huntley Middle School administrator test positive

DeKALB – An administrator at Huntley Middle School, a woman, tested positive for COVID-19, the first case among the administration of a DeKalb School District 428 school.

Since classes started remotely on Aug. 24., three teachers also tested positive, officials said.

While students are learning from home, administrators and teachers have been working from the buildings. Deetra Sallis, head of human resources for the district, said protocol remains in place related to COVID-19 positive cases in buildings.

"The steps being taken are those that are in close contact, meaning 6 feet with or without a mask, have been quarantined," Sallis said. "We're in the process of notifying them right now [late Monday morning]."

Interim Superintendent Griff Powell said there have been four cases districtwide since the start of the school year (one administrator and three teachers), but he didn't share details on the cases.

Powell said the positive cases are not a deterrent as the district is trying to return at some point to a hybrid model that includes in-person learning.

"The positivity rate in the county, until the spike because of NIU, had been in the range that the health department said we can open back up with a hybrid model and protocols in place," Powell said. "We know in the environment we're living it that this is going to happen. Where she got the virus nobody knows. It could happen whether the kids were in-person or remote. I don't think it's a factor."

Genoa-Kingston, which has been going to in-person classes since school began on Aug. 31, released a COVID-19 report on Monday. The number of staff testing positive, students testing positive and quarantined were all less than 10 for the week of Sept. 6-12. No specific numbers were reported but at least one student tested positive last week.

According to the stats, 27 students are not positive but quarantined.

Since July 1, 10 staff members and 66 students have tested not positive but have quarantined. The total positive cases in staff and students since July 1 is less than 10 each.