The Gold River elementary school that had been closed for two days after some students and teachers came down with a rash has re-opened.
Students are back in class on Thursday after the school was closed for two days. On Tuesday, Jan. 17, five students and three staff reported hives, runny eyes and itchy symptoms. The school district and Island Health decided to close the school for thorough cleaning and ventilation, and the school remained closed on Wednesday for testing.
Island Health said Thursday that there was “no significant health risk to the students and staff of Ray Watkins elementary,” and that “this remains a limited exposure event with no serious health impacts.”
School District 84 superintendent Lawrence Tarasoff said Wednesday that “we’ve done a thorough cleaning, made sure all the ventilation’s working and that’s where we’re at right now.”
On Thursday morning, the school district posted online that Island Health had given the go ahead to reopen the school.
“The symptoms that a few students experienced were limited to two classrooms in the intermediate wing,” the notice said. “Those two classrooms, along with the rest of the school, have been thoroughly cleaned and aired out.”
Just over 100 students attend Ray Watkins elementary school, which employs 10.6 full-time equivalent teaching staff and a variety of full and part-time support staff.
marc.kitteringham@campbellrivermirror.com
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