The Marysville School District informed parents Tuesday that two staff members of Bunsold Middle School have tested positive for COVID-19.
“We have worked directly with the Union County Health Department to contact trace and all parties requiring further consideration have been appropriately notified,” the email from superintendent Diane Allen reads.
The two cases include a staff member Allen informed the board of education about on Thursday.
The district remains guarded about information which might identify the staff members, because of medical privacy issues. The district release makes no indication of whether the employees are teachers or members of the support staff.
“In accordance with practices of the Health Department, the identity and other identifying information about the staff member or other person will not be released unless it is necessary to do so, and then only to close contacts or as part of contact tracing through the Health Department as is determined appropriate for that situation,” the release reads.
The release states that the district and health department will notify anyone who had close contact with any person in a school building who tests positive for the virus. The district also will also notify all parents when there is a positive case in a building, according to the correspondence.
Without citing specific reactive measures attributed to the current cases, Allen said the district has hired building substitutes for each building. She said the hope is that teaching staff who are quarantined may be able to video into the classroom, where another adult in the room can supervise students.
Allen said the district is trying to engage as many innovative ideas as possible to support students and staff in the event of positive cases.
“We all are anxiously awaiting a vaccine, but until then, we must continue to work together to ensure healthy habits, mask wearing, and social distancing are routine daily practices,” Allen wrote in the release to parents.