Printer Friendly Version - Reports Show Overall Uptick in COVID-19 Cases Among Branford Schools

As of Nov. 5, Branford Public Schools (BPS) has notified of a total of 12 cases of COVID-19 positive individuals among the school population since school began in September, with multiple individuals testing positive in the past two weeks marking an uptick in cases overall. Pictured here is BPS central office on Main Street.Pam Johnson/The Sound

As of Thursday, Nov. 5, Branford Public Schools has notified parents and the community of a total of 12 cases of COVID-19 positive individuals among the school population since school began in September, with multiple individuals testing positive in the past two weeks marking an uptick in cases overall.

The latest notice issued by Superintendent of Schools Hamlet Hernandez on Nov. 5 stated two more members of the school community, one at Branford High School (BHS) and one at Mary R. Tisko Elementary School, have tested positive. The two affected persons were last in school on October 20, 2020 and October 23, 2020 respectively and instructed to remain on home isolation for 10 days; with contact tracing and other notifications with individuals who may have come into contact also implemented.

A day earlier, on Nov. 4, a notice from Hernandez had informed of the district's tenth case, identified in a member of the Walsh Intermediate School (WIS) community. A separate notice issued on Mon., Nov. 2 informed parents and community members that, over the weekend of Oct. 31 - Nov. 1, BPS was informed a member of the Branford High School (BHS) community tested positive for COVID-19.

Both the Nov. 4 and Nov. 5 notices from Hernandez opened using a bold-type notation stating, "In recent days we have experienced an increase in reported COVID (+) cases."

Last week, the district's eighth positive case was reported on Oct. 30 by Hernandez, who did not specify a school location but did note the individual was a member of the school community. A day before that, three unrelated cases were reported on Oct. 29, including two at WIS and one at Mary Murphy Elementary School. On Oct. 19, two unrelated cases were reported, one at Murphy and one at BHS. A case was reported Oct. 9 at Sliney Elementary School and the district's first case since school resumed in September was reported at BHS on September 24.

School buildings have remained open due to cleaning protocols and other safety practices in place, in collaboration with East Shore District Health Department. The district had a scheduled day off for students on Mon. Nov. 2 for teachers' professional development and schools were closed on Tues. Nov. 3, Election Day. BPS's hybrid schedule includes no students in buildings on Wednesdays, when asynchronous online education is scheduled; including Wed. Nov. 4.