Impact of the Surge on SPS
During a briefing this week, the Springfield-Greene County Health Department projected that the peak of the current surge has not yet arrived and is not expected for at least two more weeks. Through community testing sites and in our own SPS centralized testing center, more than 50 percent of symptomatic individuals are testing positive. The health department estimates that 1 in 25 people in our community are now infectious.
SPS has documented 1,642 cases of COVID-19 across our system from January 4 through January 18. This includes 1,237 students and 405 staff. To provide further perspective, Tuesday’s single-day total is three times higher than any previous 7-day period of the pandemic. As our community continues to see a surge in the number of COVID-19 cases, we encourage you to help reduce the spread by practicing social distancing, limiting public interactions, wearing a mask while in public settings, monitoring symptoms daily, scheduling a test if you’re symptomatic, and, if you have not already done so, getting a COVID-19 vaccine or booster shot.
Next Steps
SPS administration has requested that the Board of Education hold a special meeting on Friday, January 28, to consider implementation of a Public Health Order to require mask intervention for all staff and students from January 31 through February 18. The Board is currently considering this request.
We hope to be able to return to normal in-person instruction as soon as possible. In the meantime, please understand that these decisions are made following careful deliberation and consultation with numerous community partners and health agencies.
Thank you for your understanding and patience as we respond to this rapidly evolving situation.