Both the 7th and 8th grade classes at Pope School have been affected by COVID-19 positive tests to students that will change the way those students take part in school activities for the next 14 days.

South Panola officials began calling and email parents late Thursday afternoon about the changes. Because three individuals in the 7th grade group have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 14 days, the district notification said all of those students and teachers should be quarantined for 14 beginning Friday, Sept. 18.

With 7th and 8th graders sharing teachers at Pope School, all 8th grade students were required to transition to distance learning for 14 days, also beginning Friday.

Students in both grades will continue their classroom work and assignments without a break using the procedures approved by the district’s board of trustees in their return to school policy and guidelines issued in August.

The school district’s post said the Mississippi Department of Health has given guidelines to school districts for quarantining an entire group when three or more individuals test positive with a 14-day period. The website statement said the SPSD will follow all guidelines from the Miss. Dept. of Health in regards to class and group quarantines.