During the afternoon of Friday, Oct. 9, Branford's school chief shared a report that an individual from the John B. Sliney Elementary School community tested positive for COVID-19. The individual was last in the school building on Eades Street on Tuesday Oct. 6, according a parent/community message issued by Superintendent of Schools Hamlet Hernandez. The notice was also posted at the Branford Public Schools website on Oct. 9.  The case at Sliney is the second case reported in the district since Sept. 24, when a notice regarding a COVID-19 positive individual at Branford High School (BHS) was shared by Hernandez.

According to the Oct. 9 notice, the affected person will isolate for 10 days and contact tracing has been implemented to track and notify others who may have come into contact during the time the person was at the school building on Oct. 6. The facility's COVID-19 cleaning protocols are sufficient to allow in-person classes to continue at the building. Sliney is one of the district's three elementary schools. Students in grades K-4 attend school following the district's hybrid, cohort model. Elementary students in grades 1 - 4 are assigned to one of two cohort groups attending for two days in person, two days with synchronous online learning, and Wednesday with asynchronus online learning. Kindergarten students attend in person four days per week with asynchronus online learing on Wednesdays.

This marks the second case reported by BPS regarding a member of the public school district to have tested positive for COVID-19 since school resumed in September. The first individual reported in the district, a member of the BHS community, was reported on Sept. 24 and had last been in the building on Sept. 22 . Contract tracing was implemented and no building closing was required in that incident.

The following notice was posted on the BPS website on Oct. 9 regarding the latest COVID-positive individual:

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 09, 2020

Dear Parents and Community Members:

Late yesterday afternoon, John B. Sliney School was notified that a member of the school community tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19). The affected person was last in school on Tuesday, October 6th, and has been instructed to remain on home isolation for 10 days. Anyone who is considered a "close contact" with this person will or may already have been contacted by school officials and/or public health officials and provided with instructions on the appropriate steps to take.

In collaboration with the East Shore Health Department, the District has determined that there is no reason to close school or cancel in-person classes due to the sufficiency of the District's current cleaning protocols and mitigation measures. We ask that parents/guardians, students, and staff continue to monitor their health and to stay home and contact their medical provider should they experience any of the symptoms below.

Fever (100.4° Fahrenheit or higher)

Chills or shaking chills

Uncontrolled new cough (not due to other known cause, such as chronic cough)

Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath

New loss of taste or smell

For additional information on COVID-19 symptoms, please see the CDC website at the address below: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html

The District is closely monitoring this situation and will provide additional information should it be required.

Sincerely,

Hamlet M. Hernandez

Superintendent of Schools