In-Person Education During the Early COVID-19 Pandemic at Wichita Collegiate School

The COVID-19 pandemic forced most Kansas schools to adopt remote or hybrid learning in 2020-2021. Wichita Collegiate School proceeded with an in-person teaching model. The purpose of this study was to determine if in-person learning can be done safely during the COVID-19 pandemic prior to vaccine use.

Wichita Collegiate is a private school located in Sedgwick County, Kansas. The study population included 671 students (grades 1 - 12) and 130 staff. The procedures implemented during the school year (August 19, 2020 - May 21, 2021) included: mandatory face coverings, six feet physical distancing, and daily temperature checks. A registered nurse performed contact tracing and executed quarantine requirements per the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.

Over the study period, 487 students and staff were tested for COVID-19 and 18.5% (n = 90) were positive. Overall, students and staff rate of COVID-19 infection was lower than the expected rate when compared to the surrounding community of Sedgwick County. Thorough contract tracing of positive cases revealed that 2.2% (n = 2) individuals were likely exposed to COVID-19 at school.

This study suggested that transmission of COVID-19 was infrequent in a school setting with in-person attendance, even before widespread vaccine availability. By following public health guidelines and utilizing contact tracing, it was possible to limit the spread of COVID-19 during in-person learning. This has immediate implications for how schools safely returned to in-person learning in the post-vaccine era.