October 21, 2020

Dear Parents/Guardians and Students:

We learned today that a staff member/student at William Penn High School has tested positive for COVID-19. The last date this individual was on campus was Friday, October 16.

This person will not return to the school building until the isolation period has passed. Anyone who has been in close contact with them, as determined by the Division of Public Health (DPH), is being notified by our partners at 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.

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 case and are following prescribed protocols for cleaning. 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.

Sincerely,
Jon Cooper, EdD
District COVID-19 Coordinator