A New COVID-19 Case at Hillside
November 20, 2020
Dear Hillside Families,
We were informed this afternoon, immediately before dismissal, a staff member at Hillside tested positive for COVID-19. Dismissal was delayed due to our need to ensure that the children who had direct contact with the staff member were not placed on the bus. One kindergarten class had already boarded their bus which required us to immediately sanitize all of the buses and return this group of children to the classroom. While this process was occurring, cars had to be held in the circle. Unfortunately, this further delayed our dismissal.
The staff member who tested positive was in school on Thursday, November 19th when they developed symptoms and was sent home. However, they were also in school on Tuesday, November 17th, and Wednesday, November 18th when they were contagious.
The Westchester County Department of Health was contacted and contact tracing is underway.
We are in the process of notifying those individuals who were in close contact with the staff member who tested positive for the virus. So far, we have identified three classrooms of children who were in direct contact with this staff member. These classrooms are as follows: two full-day kindergarten classrooms and one full 4th-grade classroom. In addition, a number of staff members have been identified as also having been in close contact with this staff member. Each person and family of the children who had close contact with the staff member who tested positive will be provided with information about the steps and procedures for returning to school/work. There is a mandatory period of quarantine which is most likely 14 days.
We will be reviewing our staffing and will let you know this weekend if we are able to re-open Hillside in the AM/PM model on Monday, November 23rd.
Warm regards,
