June 7, 2021
Dear Springfield Public Schools Community:
This letter is to inform you that 1 individual from Jonathan Dayton High School has been identified as a positive Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) case. Due to privacy considerations, no additional information will be shared regarding this case. We would like to graciously thank those families that are reporting positive cases.
While we have seen a significant decrease in the number of COVID-19 cases in our state and community, this serves as an important reminder that the virus remains a health challenge. 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.” In addition, we continue to coordinate with public health officials and following CDC, state, and local health department guidance in order to assure the health and safety of our community.
While we are thankful that many of the adults in our community have been able to access the vaccine, ongoing concerns regarding the transmission of COVID continue to challenge us. While state and federal guidelines have shifted the requirements for social distancing and mask-wearing outside of school property, this serves as a reminder to continue following the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention promoted safeguards when possible, 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
- NJDOH COVID-19 Information for Communities and the General Public: https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/topics/covid2019_community.shtml
- Get the Facts about Coronavirus: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
- Symptoms of COVID-19: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html
- Testing: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/testing/index.html; https://covid19.nj.gov/pages/testing
- How to Protect Yourself: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html
- 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