Superintendent Thomas Scarice sent three health and safety notices today. We have combined them below. Immediate impact—Coleytown Elementary School (from 2nd Notice): both cohorts of each kindergarten and 4th grade classroom will switch to remote learning.
Dear Westport Families and Staff,
First Notice: This afternoon I was made aware of both positive and presumptive cases of COVID-19 at Greens Farms Elementary School. The affected individuals have either been in quarantine previously or will be moving forward.
Upon learning of the positive and presumptive COVID-19 cases, the Westport Public Schools conducted initial contact tracing. Those determined to be “close contacts” are defined as individuals who were within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes over a 24 hour period, starting from 48 hours before the person began feeling ill or 48 hours prior to a positive test of an asymptomatic individual. It has been determined that there were exposures in two fifth grade classrooms and on one school van. Those impacted have been notified.
Second Notice: This evening I was made aware of two additional positive cases of COVID-19, this time at Coleytown Elementary School. The affected persons will be excluded from the school environment and have been instructed to quarantine at home.
Upon learning of the positive COVID-19 cases, the Westport Public Schools conducted initial contact tracing. Those determined to be “close contacts” are defined as individuals who were within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes over a 24 hour period, starting from 48 hours before the person began feeling ill or 48 hours prior to a positive test of an asymptomatic individual. It has been determined that there were exposures in a kindergarten classroom, 4th grade classroom, and one school bus.
Multiple staff and students have been impacted by these positive COVID-19 cases. The number of staff member absences does impact our ability to provide appropriate coverage for the kindergarten and 4th grade cohorts not considered close contacts. As a result, both cohorts of each kindergarten and 4th grade classroom will switch to remote learning for greater continuity with their teachers.
Third Notice: Additional positive cases of COVID-19 were reported tonight, one at Long Lots Elementary School, and one at Staples High School. The affected persons will be excluded from the school environment and have been instructed to quarantine at home.
Upon learning of the positive COVID-19 cases, the Westport Public Schools conducted initial contact tracing. Those determined to be “close contacts” are defined as individuals who were within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes over a 24 hour period, starting from 48 hours before the person began feeling ill or 48 hours prior to a positive test of an asymptomatic individual.
It has been determined that there were exposures in one first grade classroom at Long Lots Elementary School and one school bus associated with that case. One staff member and one cohort of students are impacted by that positive COVID-19 case. All have been notified through direct communication by Dr. Debra Dunn, Principal. There were no school based exposures from the positive COVID-19 case reported at Staples High School.
The school district administration is required to comply with all applicable laws and regulations regarding student and employee confidentiality and privacy. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) precludes sharing the identity of an individual, with the exception of sharing the individual’s identity with a public health agency (e.g., Westport/Weston Health District). In addition, the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) prevents the school district from publicly sharing personally identifiable information derived from student education records.
In light of these confidentiality and privacy protections and our related legal obligations, as well as the need to protect the health and safety of the school community, we will continue to adhere to the appropriate means of notifying the school community of possible exposure to COVID-19 on a case-by-case basis.
As a reminder, and as cases continue to rise in the community, it is important to continue implementing mitigating measures, such as handwashing/sanitizing, social distancing, and wearing of face masks, throughout all phases of our daily lives when interacting with others outside of school and our homes.
It has been a busy weekend managing the multiple reports of positive COVID-19 cases linked to our schools. I want to thank our staff, working in partnership with our families, for their diligent efforts processing everything.
Respectfully,
Thomas Scarice
Superintendent of Schools
