October 22, 2020
Dear Parents/Guardians and Students:
We learned today that, in addition to the case reported previously at William Penn High School, two additional individuals that were on campus tested positive for COVID-19.
These individuals were last on campus on 10/20/20.
The individuals will not return to school until the isolation period has passed. Anyone who has been in close contact with these individuals, as determined by the Division of Public Health (DPH), is being notified by DPH and may have to quarantine for 14 days before returning to school. Individual decisions on quarantining are made by DPH epidemiologists, in consultation with the affected individual, and may depend on whether the individual was wearing a mask. At this time, the use of William Penn High School will continue as planned. This is a decision that is made with the most up-to-date health guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and DPH.
Please visit https://coronavirus.delaware.gov to learn more about DPH protocols around positive COVID-19 cases in schools.
We always encourage you to monitor your child for any symptoms of COVID-19. If a student or staff member is sick with any of the following symptoms, stay home: fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, muscle aches, fatigue, chills, shaking with chills, loss of smell or taste, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea, or headache or congestion or runny nose without a known cause such as allergies. Our school nurse is available to support your family by reviewing symptoms to watch for, answering questions you may have, assisting with follow-up communications and providing further information on available testing sites. COVID-19 testing is free and available in our local community.
DPH encourages all Delawareans – whether you are experiencing symptoms or not – to consider getting a free test. That will help our state more accurately track the spread of the disease and keep our communities healthy.
Visit de.gov/gettested for information on free COVID-19 testing in Delaware.
Visit https://coronavirus.delaware.gov/ for the latest updates on COVID-19 in Delaware.
This school adheres to strict cleaning, social distancing, and hygiene protocols. This is our best defense against COVID-19 and its spread. District custodial staff are aware of the positive cases and are following prescribed protocols for cleaning.
Sincerely,
Jon Cooper, EdD
District COVID-19 Coordinator