A total of 94 people have been removed from two Darien schools for 10-day quarantine after five students or employees at Darien High School and three more from Hindley School tested positive for COVID-19 between Friday and Wednesday, parents and school employees have been told.
In addition to these cases, a sixth individual at Darien High testing positive on Wednesday, the school has been closed for Friday to allow for contact tracing, which may result in other people being put in quarantine.
Schools Superintendent Alan Addley and Alicia Casucci, director of nursing services, sent out an announcement about the new cases Wednesday night. (The full text of the announcement is below.) Darienite.com received a copy of the announcement at 9:39 p.m.
Four individuals at Darien High School tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday and a fifth tested positive on Wednesday. That resulted quarantines for them and 67 additional people being removed from the school and told to quarantine themselves.
At Hindley, three people tested positive last Thursday, March 21, resulting in quarantines for them. As a result of one of the three cases, quarantines have been ordered for 19 others at the school.
First Selectman Jayme Stevenson on Wednesday gave a brief update on Twitter about new COVID-19 cases in Darien: “11 COVID-19 cases reported on 3/24 for @TownofDarienCT from test dates March 17 to 23. Ages 15-49,” she said in a 3:58 p.m. tweet.
A DHS parent told Darienite.com, the school told parents late Wednesday morning that DHS was moving to remote learning for that afternoon. The SAT was being administered to juniors that morning and the rest of the school was to come in the afternoon. Classes for Grades 9, 10 and 12 were to meet via Zoom following the regular schedule, beginning at 12:20 p.m.
DHS Principal Ellen Dunn followed up the original announcement with a fuller explanation in a 10:56 a.m. email to parents, saying the move to remote (online) classes was taking place “In order to allow adequate time for our nursing staff to complete contact tracing” of the five DHS COVID-19 cases school officials were aware of at that time.
Message to Parents and Employees
Here’s the full text of Addley’s and Casucci’s message:
Dear Parents and Community Members:
Today, March 24, 2021, the Darien Public Schools District COVID Response Team was notified about eight (8) individuals who tested positive for COVID-19. The affected individuals have been instructed to remain home in self-isolation for 10 days from the date of their positive test. All family members have also been instructed to self-quarantine and get tested.
Location |
Last Day in Building |
Contact Tracing: Additional Individuals Quarantined |
DHS Case #1 |
3.22.21 |
11 |
DHS Case #2 |
3.22.21 |
12 |
DHS Case #3 |
3.22.21 |
22 |
DHS Case #4 |
3.22.21 |
12 |
DHS Case #5 |
3.24.21 |
10 |
Hindley Case #1 |
3.19.21 |
0 |
Hindley Case #2 |
3.19.21 |
0 |
Hindley Case #3 |
3.22.21 |
19 |
The details of these cases have been reviewed with the Darien Health Department and our District Medical Advisor. Contact tracing has been completed and it has been determined eighty-six (86) additional school community members are considered close contacts and will require a 10-day quarantine from the date of last contact.
Additionally, the District has just been apprised of a sixth (6) case at the high school. Consequently, to allow for contract tracing to occur, the high school will be remote learning for all students tomorrow, Thursday, March 25. The high school principal will send additional details about the schedule.
Your continued diligence with monitoring for symptoms and practicing preventative measures is greatly appreciated. Please keep your child home if they are experiencing symptoms or if they are awaiting test results, even if they are not experiencing any symptoms.
Thank you for your ongoing collaborative efforts in helping to protect the well-being of our greater community.
Sincerely,
Dr. Alan Addley, Ed.D
Superintendent
Alicia Casucci, APRN, CPNP
Director of Nursing Services