Upon consultation with the Newton County School System COVID-19 Response Team and the Newton County Health Department, 40 students and their teachers at Veterans Memorial Middle School have been identified as contacts to an individual with COVID-19 and must quarantine for a period of 14 days from their date of exposure in accordance with current CDC and Health Department guidelines. 

All parents and guardians of affected students were notified Friday night by school district personnel, a school system news release stated. 

The school will be deep-cleaned this weekend; there are no current plans to close the school, the release stated.

In-person students not affected by the quarantine should report to school as normal on Monday. Veterans Memorial Middle School virtual students are not affected and should log in to virtual learning sessions Monday morning as they normally would.

Veterans Memorial Middle School students placed on quarantine who need to pick up medication or other items that they must have during the next two weeks should call the school’s front office Monday to make an appointment to pick up the needed items before the Thanksgiving break. 

Quarantined students who need to borrow a technology device may also contact the school to make arrangements.

"This quarantine is a necessary precaution as we work to ensure in-person learning can continue in our other schools," the news release stated. 

"We anticipate, as we have communicated throughout this process, there will be additional quarantines and potential school closures as we operate during this pandemic.

"We need our entire community to work together: stay home when you’re sick; get tested if you’re symptomatic; report your child’s positive test to their school; if you are directed to quarantine, follow the instructions and limit interaction with non-family members; socially distance, wash your hands often, and wear a mask when in public."

Information about quarantine can be found at https://dph.georgia.gov/contact.