February 9, 2021
Dear Springfield Public Schools Community:
This letter is to inform you that: 1 student at James Caldwell School has been identified as a positive Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) case. The District is coordinating closely with public health officials and following CDC, state, and local health department guidance in order to assure the health and safety of our community.
The district has worked with health officials to identify close contacts, defined by the CDC as “someone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes starting from 2 days before illness onset (or, for asymptomatic clients, 2 days prior to positive specimen collection) until the time the patient is isolated.”
Families and students impacted by this case have been notified, and the district will follow the guidance provided by the local health officials. Due to privacy considerations, no additional information will be shared regarding this case.
Cleaning and disinfecting of all exposed areas have been completed. The school is also taking precautions to prevent the introduction and spread of viruses and other germs and is cleaning frequently touched surfaces daily.
We understand the level of concern regarding COVID-19. We encourage parents and students to continue following the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention promoted safeguards, such as:
- Staying home when you are sick;
- Washing hands often with soap for at least 20 seconds;
- Covering coughs and sneezes and properly disposing of tissues;
- Limiting close contact with people who are sick and not sharing food, drinks and utensils;
- Practicing social distancing (staying at least 6 feet apart);
- Wearing a mask while in school; and
- Continuing to monitor your health for symptoms.
As always, we appreciate our community’s support and cooperation. You can assist us by remaining vigilant but sensible in your approach to dealing with this health concern. Should you have any questions about this situation, please feel free to contact your school principal and/or school nurse. Below are some resources that might be helpful.
RESOURCES
1. NJDOH COVID-19 Information for Communities and the General Public: https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/topics/covid2019_community.shtml
2. Get the Facts about Coronavirus: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
3. Symptoms of COVID-19: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html
4. Testing: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/testing/index.html; & https://covid19.nj.gov/pages/testing
5. How to Protect Yourself: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html
6. What to Do if You Are Sick: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/steps-when-sick.html
Sincerely,
Rachel Goldberg
Superintendent of Schools