SMITHSVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — DeKalb County Schools has announced that they will be delaying the start of the school year due to an employee testing positive of coronavirus.

The Director of Schools Patrick Cripps told WJLE, a Smithsville, Tennessee radio affiliate, the employee that tested positive and all employees that may have come in contact with the virus are under quarantine. Cripps consulted with DeKalb County Schools and the Tennessee School Boards Association before making this decision.

“We were notified that we have had a positive result in one of our employees at a building. That employee recently reported feeling not well, then went home, followed all the protocols, and was tested. That employee received the test results today and it was positive. We immediately told that employee you have to be quarantined according to what the CDC recommends for 10 days plus a 24 hour day without a fever before you can return to work,” said Director Patrick Cripps.

The reopening date has been rescheduled from August 3 to August 17. There will be no remote learning during this two week period as the school board will have to decide later how to make up the lost days.