Cheatham, Robertson County schools close due to staffing issues related to COVID-19
Cheatham and Robertson County Schools announced Wednesday that they will close for the rest of the week due to severe staffing challenges related to COVID-19 and other illnesses.
The news comes as some districts, including Cheatham, closed for winter weather-related issues earlier in the week. Robertson County Schools were open on Wednesday.
"This decision has not been made lightly as our schools have done a remarkable job continuing instruction during the latest surge of COVID-19," Robertson County Schools Director Chris Causey said in a message to parents Wednesday.
In an earlier statement, Cheatham County Schools said it was unable to safely staff schools, " due to a less than 30 percent substitute fill rate."
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Cheatham County daycares are expected to operate on a snow schedule, from 7 a.m. - 5 p.m., on Thursday and Friday.
Robertson County daycares will remain open unless parents are otherwise notified by the school.
All other events in Robertson County, including early graduations, will be decided on a case-by-case basis, the district noted.
"Our hope is that these few days will give many of our staff and students the ability to isolate, get healthy and return to school on Monday, Jan. 24," Causey said.
Cheatham County officials echoed similar sentiments.
"Thank you for your understanding. Please stay healthy and take care of yourselves and each other," their statement read.
COVID-19 case rates in the counties
To date, more than 22,000 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Cheatham County and more than 24,500 people have tested positive in Robertson County, according to the Tennessee Department of Health.
There have been 760 cases of COVID-19 reported in Cheatham County and 1,286 cases in Robertson County between Jan. 8-15, according to the state data.
More than 9,000 cases have been recorded during the pandemic in Cheatham County along with 231 hospitalizations and 100 deaths, TDH reports. For Robertson County, the number of cases has reached more than 17,500 along with 778 hospitalizations and 246 deaths, the state said.
Between Jan. 8-15, Cheatham County had a daily case rate of 252.6 cases per 100,000 residents, and Robertson County recorded a daily case rate of 233.1 cases per 100,000 residents during that time, the state data shows.
And between Jan. 2-15, Cheatham County averaged 86.4 new cases per day - an increase of about 50 new cases per day since late December's average case rate of 36.4, state data shows. Robertson County averaged 151.8 new cases per day - an increase of about 82 new cases per day since late December's average case rate of 69.6, the data said.
Hazardous weather outlook
The Cheatham County School District's central office will remain open 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, weather permitting.
A hazardous weather outlook has been issued by the National Weather Service for several Middle Tennessee counties, including Cheatham, Robertson and Sumner, detailing a mixture of rain, sleet, freezing rain and snow, expected to move through the area overnight.
In the case of winter weather, Cheatham County Schools will decide if any changes need to be made to the daycare schedule by 5 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 20, including if extra-curricular activities or athletic events will be canceled.
For up-to-date Cheatham and Robertson County COVID-19 data, visit https://www.tn.gov/health/cedep/ncov/data/county-data-snapshot.html.
Katie Nixon can be reached at knixon@gannett.com or (615) 517-1285.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Cheatham, Robertson County schools close due to COVID cases, staffing
