Over 30 students tested positive for COVID-19 in the first week of school, although none of the cases were due to in-school exposures, according to the district.

From Sept. 1-3, the district received reports that 34 students in total tested positive for the virus. Of those reports, 19 students tested positive before school started, but alerted the Federal Way district during the first week of school, according to Whitney Chiang, chief of communications for the district.

“In all 34 cases, scholars who tested positive were exposed to COVID-19 outside of school,” she said.

These possible exposures occurred in second, third and fourth grades; in sixth and seventh grades; and in all grades of high school.

Among staff, the district received reports of five positive cases within the first week, also due to outside exposures.

“These staff were exposed to COVID-19 outside of school, and there were no recommendations for additional individuals to quarantine as a result of these cases,” Chiang said.

In total, 96 families were notified by the district of possible COVID-19 exposure during the first few days of the 2021-2022 school year.

Individual students and staff have been recommended for quarantine, but there are no classrooms in quarantine, she said.