LEXINGTON, S.C. — A 28-year teaching veteran passed away this weekend after succumbing to COVID-19.
Staci A. Blakely, a third grade teacher at Carolina Springs Elementary School (CSES) in Lexington County School District 1, died Saturday, December 5, due to complications caused by COVID-19.
A statement released by LCSD1 says:
"Mrs. Blakely’s family allowed us to share this with you because they think it important to remind you how very serious this disease can be. They have asked for privacy at this time."
Superintendent Greg Little reflected, “Mrs. Blakely’s death is a tragedy. She was a wonderful, warm teacher who will be missed. One of the ways we can celebrate her life is being sure that we continue to take care of each other.”
According to the statement, Blakely began her education career as a second and third-grade teacher at Virginia Park Elementary in Richland County School District One in 1992 before joining Lexington District One in 1999. Principal Todd Brown informed the CSES staff of Mrs. Blakely’s death on Sunday, December 6, 2020.
That same day, the school informed the parents of her current students and let them know that counselors and psychologists would be at the school on Monday, December 7.
The district followed procedures for contact tracing and notification of close contacts after being notified that Mrs. Blakely tested positive for COVID-19 on November 11. Her last day of work was Thursday, November 5.
There have been no other COVID-19 positive individuals in her classroom either before or after she became ill.
The district always has a dashboard with current information available online on its Stronger Together webpage. You can find it here.
