New student COVID cases top 700 in Butler, Greene, Miami, Montgomery and Warren counties

The Ohio Department of Health on Thursday reported 738 new student COVID-19 cases during the last week among public school districts in Butler, Greene, Miami, Montgomery and Warren counties.

Area districts with the highest number of new coronavirus cases among students includes 59 in Edgewood City Schools in Butler County; 58 in Beavercreek City Schools in Greene County; 54 in Kettering City Schools in Montgomery County; 53 in Springboro Community Schools in Warren County; and 52 in Northmont City Schools in Montgomery County.

ExploreWarren County plan to keep unvaccinated, unmasked students in school gets nod from Ohio governor

Although some Warren County public school districts have reported some of the highest numbers of student cases so far this year, Warren County school superintendents last week proposed a pilot program to keep children in school who may have been exposed to COVID-19 but are healthy and not showing any symptoms.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has asked the ODH to aid districts in the county in the implementation of the program.

“Our quarantines have skyrocketed because we are quarantining healthy kids,” said Warren County Educational Services Center Superintendent Tom Isaacs. “We wanted to have a plan to keep healthy kids in school.”

ODH guidelines call for students exposed to coronavirus be quarantined at home if they are not vaccinated and their school does not require masks, social distancing and other prevention policies.

Three Warren County districts are in the top 25 in the state for cumulative student COVID cases.

Lebanon City Schools is the 11th highest with 46 new student cases and 66 total
Springboro Community Schools is the 18th highest with 53 new student cases and 56 total
Mason City Schools is the 24th highest with 28 new student cases and 52 total.

Five other area districts are in the top 25 in the state for cumulative student COVID cases.

Hamilton City Schools is the fourth highest with 41 new student cases and 79 total
Edgewood City Schools is the eighth highest with 59 new student cases and 74 total
Northmont City Schools is the ninth highest with 52 new student cases and 71 total
Kettering City Schools is the 10th highest with 54 new student cases and 70 total
Beavercreek City Schools is the 12th highest with 58 new student cases and 65 total.

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The ODH also reported 104 new staff COVID cases in the last week among local districts. Mason City Schools in Warren County had the highest number of new staff cases with 13. Rounding out the top five area districts with new staff cases are Beavercreek Schools with 10; Dayton Public Schools with nine; Edgewood City Schools with eight; and Springboro Community Schools with seven.