Updated: COVID-19 cancels classes in Marion

All classes in the Marion-Florence school district were canceled Friday after more than 60% of students were placed in quarantine.

Officials hope that time and extra cleaning will head off even more problems.

Superintendent Aaron Homburg said about 70 middle school students were in quarantine. the entire middle school basketball team is in quarantine, with one in isolation because of an active case of COVID.

“We had one active case, so that puts 25 in quarantine,” Homburg said.

Ordinarily about 10% of district students are in quarantine at any time, he said.

He said the district had seen an increase in the number of quarantined students in the past two weeks.

The district allows quarantined students to come to school wearing masks but requires that they be tested before they enter the building.

Students much remain outside until results are known. If they test positive, they must go home, and parents are summoned to pick them up if they are not old enough to drive themselves.

All classrooms are being fogged to sanitize them.

“Hopefully, we stop the trend and can push through this next two weeks until Thanksgiving,” he said.

He reminded parents that if children do not feel well, they should remain home.

“We’re going to continue to be as safe as we can be,” Homburg said.

No announcement of the closure was posted on the schools’ website, mobile app, social media, or electronic sign, nor were news media notified. Concerned citizens contacted the newspaper and said students were advised not to attend by teachers or robo-calls.

The newspaper originally could not reach school offices to obtain comment but verified the cancellation by contacting a school board member.