November 5, 2020
Dear Independence Local Schools' Families,
I want to inform you that today we received information that a first-grade teacher from Independence Primary School tested positive for COVID-19. The employee was last in school Friday, October 30. The employee did not show symptoms until Sunday, however our contact tracing protocols specify we must trace back 48 hours from the onset of symptoms.
We are working closely with the Cuyahoga County Board of Health and anyone identified as a close contact has been 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. Individuals who are determined to be close contact will be instructed by the school administrator to begin a 14-day quarantine period and are not permitted to attend school or any school functions; these students should remain home during this time. To reiterate, the school administrator has already individually contacted families of students needing to enter into the quarantine period. In this particular case, the employee’s first-grade class of 15 students and two teacher colleagues will begin the quarantine period.
Our quarantine protocols run for 14 days from the last day of contact. In this case, six days of the timeframe have already passed and the students and other teachers entering into quarantine may return to school Monday, November 16, if they are symptom-free. Many times, exposed individuals do not show symptoms for six or more days after exposure, making our quarantine late, but still important.
Cleaning and disinfecting of all primary school classrooms will continue to be completed.
Independence Primary School and the other classrooms will be open tomorrow for school.
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
