For the first time last week in the nearly three-week-old school year, Clinton Schools were faced with dealing with the coronavirus in their classrooms.

As the district balanced how to release information, many in the community demanded more information and expressed frustration with the lack of information available. Superintendent Curt Nettles says his focus is to protect the privacy of his students while also keeping the community as informed as he can.

The district has been sending out information regarding COVID in the classrooms to parents of the students in those classrooms that have been impacted. He understands parents may be frustrated by this process.

Many parents believe it is their right to know if COVID is in their school building. Nettles believes between what the DeWitt/Piatt Bi-County Health Department shares and what the school district shares create a good picture of the situation in the community.

The district makes many decisions based on recommendations and information provided by the Health Department. Nettles says their relationship with the Health Department is very strong and credits them with aiding the district good policies to keep kids in school.

While the situation is not ideal for anyone right now, Nettles asks the community for a little grace and patience while they navigate this situation. He says, for now, they will continue to provide limited information but did leave open the possibility how much they offer could change.

As of Tuesday morning, Nettles was unaware of any new youth cases in the school district and indicated they were currently at four cases among the student and staff population, with one case each at Lincoln School, Clinton Elementary School, Clinton, Junior High School, and Clinton High School and a teacher at Clinton Junior High School.