A Henrico student tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday. The student was last at Henrico High School for the district’s emergency childcare program, according to Karin Castillo-Rose, the school’s principal.
In a statement, Castillo-Rose said the childcare services are provided by the Richmond YMCA in a separate building from where classes are conducted. The school district has reached out to the Henrico Health Department, and local health officials will notify specific individuals identified through contact tracing.
Henrico schools opted for a virtual instruction model for the first nine weeks of classes, except for students with special needs, English learners, early learners and other small groups.
The school board meets Oct. 19 to decide whether to resume in-person instruction for all students in November, when the second nine-week period begins.
Prior to the student’s diagnosis, the board’s health committee had said that recent health data encouraged a return to face-to-face classes. Henrico County shows low test positivity rates, but with 1 resident per 1,000 getting the virus in the past 14 days, the district is at "higher risk" of transmission in school.
