According to an email from the Gasconade County R-2 Athletic Director, the Belle boys basketball team is expected to be absent from tournaments on Jan. 8-9 due to being quarantined from exposure to COVID-19. This is the team’s third quarantine since the beginning of the season.

“Belle High School is unable to participate in our tournament this week due to multiple players being quarantined as close contacts to an individual with COVID,” the email read.

The Maries R-2 School District did not answer or return any phone calls or emails on Tuesday.

It was also noted that the COVID-19 dashboard on the www.Mariesr2.org website was last updated on Dec. 16, 2020, and the district had one staff member and seven student cases active.

A mask mandate was set to be implemented in the district at the return to school yesterday (Tuesday, Jan. 5). However, discussion during the Dec. 22, 2020, school board meeting mentioned that even with a mask mandate in place, it likely wouldn’t help quarantines due to exposure during athletics.

According to the guidelines, wearing a mask during the school day may prevent students from being forced to quarantine, however, they would be excluded from extracurricular school activities during the suggested 10 to 14 day quarantine period.

Superintendent Dr. Lenice Basham did not return a request for comment.