January 15, 2021
Dear Independence Local Schools’ Families,
I want to inform you that today we received information that an 8th-grade student from Independence Middle School tested positive for COVID-19. The student was last in school Wednesday, January 13. The student started showing symptoms by the end of the day.
With every school-based positive test, we work closely with the Cuyahoga County Board of Health and anyone identified as a close contact is notified by the school administrators as a part of COVID-19 investigation. Close contacts are individuals who have been within six feet for 15 minutes or more within a 24 hour period with the person who tested positive. If close contacts are in classroom and/or school bus settings, they do not need to quarantine. In this situation, the student who tested positive was also part of our 8th-grade basketball team. Because this involved unmasked time, 11 close contacts must begin a quarantine period and the basketball team will have games postponed.
Cleaning and disinfecting of all middle school classrooms will continue to be completed.
If you have any questions, contact Tom Dreiling at 216/642-5852, me at 216/642-5850, or the Cuyahoga County Board of Health at 216/201-2000. Thank you for helping to keep people safe and to slow the spread of COVID-19 in our community and school.
For answers to your COVID-19 questions, call 1-833-4-ASK-ODH (1-833-427-5634) or visit coronavirus.ohio.gov. Resources from the CDC include:
Your mental health is just as important as your physical health. If you or a loved one are experiencing anxiety related to the coronavirus pandemic, help is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Call the COVID-19 CareLine at 1-800-720-9616.
Sincerely,
Ben Hegedish
Superintendent
Independence Local Schools
