October 22, 2020
Dear Independence School Families,
The Independence Local School District is committed to the safety and health of our students and staff. We want to inform you that today we received information that a third-grade teacher from Independence Primary School tested positive for COVID-19. The teacher was last in school Tuesday, October 20 and was exhibiting symptoms by the end of the day.
We are working closely with the Cuyahoga County Board of Health and anyone identified as a close contact has been notified by the health department or school administrators as a part of COVID-19 investigation. Close contacts are individuals who have been within six feet for 10 minutes or more with the student who tested positive. Individuals who are determined to be close contact will be instructed by the school administrator and/or Board of Health 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 Board of Health and/or school administrator has already individually contacted families of students needing to enter into the quarantine period. In this particular case, the 15 students in the teacher’s class and one fellow teacher will be quarantined; all students should continue with remote instruction during the time period.
Cleaning and disinfecting of the third-grade classrooms will be completed.
Independence Primary School and the other third-grade classrooms will be open for school as usual tomorrow.
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
