Another Cherokee County High School Closes Due To COVID-19 Concerns

The Cherokee County School District said Wednesday it will close Woodstock High School due to possible exposure to the coronavirus.

The district says Woodstock has 14 positive cases of COVID-19 with another 15 pending. Almost 300 students and staff at the school have been quarantined.

The news comes one day after Cherokee County closed Etowah High School for the same reason. A photo of Etowah students standing close together without face coverings went viral last week.

Teachers and students at Woodstock will follow a plan similar to Etowah’s, according to the district’s communications department. Classes will be remote for now as the district disinfects the school buildings. However, extracurricular athletic activities will continue as usual. The district says that exception is due to the limited size of the groups and safety measures that are in place for sports.

The district says it anticipates more quarantines and school closures as it operates during the pandemic.

According to numbers the district reported Wednesday morning, more than 1,000 students are in quarantine. Officials hope to reopen Etowah and Woodstock high schools Aug. 31.