UPDATE on October 23, 2020
West Genesee High School will resume in-person classes on Monday, October 26.
October 21, 2020
Good afternoon,
Earlier today, the District was notified by the Onondaga County Health Department that a West Genesee High School student tested positive for COVID-19 Coronavirus. The District immediately began supporting the OCHD contact tracing investigation.
The Onondaga County Health Department has a process to identify and notify individuals considered to be close contacts of the person who tested positive. District personnel assist in the health department’s investigation for any students or staff relative to school-based interaction. It is important to remember that individuals will be contacted directly by health department officials if there is a need for further action, including any mandated quarantine. We will not communicate personally identifiable information regarding any employees nor students per confidentiality with respect to personnel and provisions of Health Insurance Portability And Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) or Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA).
The student was last in attendance on Friday, October 16, 2020 and is in isolation. The Onondaga County Health Department continues its investigation. All contacts required to quarantine are in the process of being notified by District personnel and will be contacted directly by the Onondaga County Health Department. The quarantine will end 14 days after the day of exposure. Health officials will provide specific dates and related information based on the outcome of their investigation to those impacted.
Given the positive cases that have come to our attention over the last 36 hours, all West Genesee High School students will learn remotely on Thursday, October 22 and Friday, October 23, 2020. A decision regarding next week’s learning setting will be shared by the end of Friday, October 23, 2020. All other buildings will operate as scheduled.
As a reminder, the District’s cleaning staff will continue its regular deep cleaning and sanitizing practices.
Families should continue to monitor for symptoms. As a reminder, per the CDC, COVID-19 symptoms include but are not limited to:
- Fever 100.0 F or greater / or chills
- New loss of taste or smell
- Headache
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Muscle or body aches
- Fatigue
- Diarrhea
- Congestion or runny nose
- Sore throat
- Nausea or Vomiting
Please see our school nurses’ health resources as listed on westgenesee.org for information and procedures.
The District continues to take precautions to protect the health and safety of its students and employees. We will continue to closely monitor this situation and communicate updates, if necessary. We appreciate your support and understanding on this matter. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your school health office, main office, or the WGCSD District Office.
Sincerely,
David C. Bills
Superintendent of Schools