Schools

STMA Schools Get $347K Grant For Coronavirus Testing

The funds are part of the state's efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19 and ensure in-person classes can continue during the pandemic.

ST. MICHAEL, MN — The state of Minnesota has granted the St. Michael-Albertville School District more than $347,000 to fund a coronavirus testing program during the 2021-22 academic year.

The funds are part of the state's efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19 and ensure in-person learning can continue amid the ongoing pandemic. Minnesota's $55 million school testing program is supported by the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

Education Commissioner Heather Mueller said the testing program will help keep students in schools, which she called "the very best place for our students to receive an education and to develop the important social-emotional skills that will serve them throughout their lives.

Find out what's happening in St. Michaelfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Last week, 535 Minnesota K-12 schools were on the Minnesota Department of Health's list of schools that have had recent COVID-19 outbreaks.

St. Michael School Added To Weekly Coronavirus Outbreak List

Find out what's happening in St. Michaelfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Five St. Michael-Albertville schools were included on the list: Big Woods Elementary, Fieldstone Elementary, St. Michael-Albertville Senior High School, St. Michael-Albertville Middle School East and St. Michael-Albertville Middle School West.

The COVID-19 data dashboard for the St. Michael-Albertville School District shows there have been 183 total coronavirus cases among the district's 6,850 students since Sept. 7.

There have also been 34 total coronavirus cases this school year among 873 staff members, according to the district's dashboard.

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