Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools Superintendent Yvonne Stokes announced Friday that the school district will change guidance on contact tracing, which she says will result in allowing “more students to remain in school.”

When masks are required, students exposed to a COVID positive individual during the school day will no longer have to quarantine. This would also include lunch, when masks are not always worn.

Under the new guidance from the Indiana Department of Health, contact tracing will no longer be necessary as long as masks continue to be required in schools. Families will still be notified if there is a positive case in the classroom-setting via Skylert.

According to Dr. Stokes, these changes are only in effect during the school day. Contact tracing and quarantine will still be required for students outside of the school day (for example – athletics, band, choir, bus rides to and from events, etc.). Isolation procedures for an individual that is COVID positive remains the same.

These changes will go into effect on Monday, January 31.

Students who are currently quarantined for being a close contact during the school day may return to school effective immediately, as long as they remain symptom-free.

“The number of COVID positive cases in our schools are down this week,” Dr. Stokes said. “We hope this is a trend that will continue.”

View Dr. Stokes’ entire video message at the link below.