GRAPEVINE, Texas — Grapevine-Colleyville ISD said on Thursday that any elementary class that has more than a 20 percent COVID-19 positivity rate must quarantine beginning Friday, Jan. 14, and through the end of next week, Jan. 21, after which the affected students may return to class on Monday, Jan. 24.
Currently, the district said its threshold for immediate quarantining of students had been a class positivity rate of 30 percent or more. But, the district added, it also holds the discretion to quarantine, if necessary, any classrooms with a positivity rate of 20 percent or more.
District officials blame the volatile spread of the omicron variant for the changes it's now putting into effect.
"The increased number of student cases this week, coupled with the rapid nature by which this variant is spreading, has led the district to quarantine these additional classes," the district said in a statement.
Those classes impacted by the quarantine will receive an additional notice from the principal, the district said, and students in any quarantined class will participate in remote learning for the time being.
"We understand that quarantining classes is difficult, however, this is a necessary step to slow the spread of COVID-19 and keep our students and staff safe," the district said.