Update, 8:54 p.m. — Forty people at Darien High School are considered “close contacts” of one person who tested positive for COVID-19 and was last at Darien High School on Wednesday, Superintendent Alan Addley and Nurse Alicia Casucci said in an announcement to parents at about 6:30 p.m., Thursday.
The emailed announcement said in part:
“The affected person has been instructed to remain home in self-isolation for 10 days and have been provided with additional instructions to follow prior to returning to school. Family members have also been instructed to self-quarantine and get tested.
“It was also determined 40 individuals are considered close contacts and require to be quarantined. All individuals have been notified and given further instructions regarding quarantine and further evaluation. The high school building also received additional cleaning.”
The school will be open for in-person classes on Friday
Update 4:36 p.m. — Holmes School Principal Paula Bleakley has gone into quarantine after she was told she was in contact with someone with COVID-19, she said in an emailed announcement to parents at the school.
Bleakley also said she will continue to work remotely with teachers and staff during her quarantine.
“[A]s per CDC and Connecticut Department of Public Health protocols, I have been directed to self-quarantine for 14 days,” Bleakley said. While she’s in quarantine, assistant principal Alex Harvey will be the “lead administrator on site” of the school, she said.
(The full text of her letter to parents is at the end of this article.)
On Friday, Oct. 16, Addley said in an email to Darienite.com: “In the past, I have communicated to all principals the need to send parent communications to The Press distribution list.”
Bleakley apparently did not do so. Darienite.com received a copy of her email to parents by submitting a Freedom of Information Act request.
Update, 9:31 a.m. — Superintendent Alan Addley, in an email sent to Darienite.com at 9:29 a.m., said a second individual connected to Darien High School had tested positive for COVID-19, which resulted in the school switching to online learning today (Thursday).
“Upon review this morning, it was apparent that additional communications and mitigation strategies needed to occur before staff and students returned to the high school building,” Addley wrote.
“Today, the DHS COVID-19 Response Team will finalize its contact tracing and notification efforts. Once this process is complete, we will update the DPS community with more detailed information.”
All after school high school activities and athletics are cancelled for today, Addley said in the announcement (the full text is included at the bottom of this article).
Original article:
Two people — one at Darien High School, the other at Holmes School — received positive test results for COVID-19, school district officials were informed on Wednesday.
Contact tracing resulted in six other people who were determined to have been in close enough contact, Superintendent Alan Addley said in an announcement late Wednesday afternoon to parents at the schools. Those six people were directed to keep themselves in quarantine, he said.
District Limits Sharing of Information
As a result of the positive tests, Darien High School classes are being taught remotely, online today, Thursday, a school official said in a separate announcement, according to an email forwarded to Darienite.com by a parent but not by the school district.
The school district has not notified the public about the remote learning day beyond announcements to parents, students and staff at the high school and Darienite.com has no information early Thursday morning about any similar action at Holmes School.
“We will continue to share information about confirmed cases of COVID-19 in order to be transparent and communicative, and to protect the health and safety of students and staff,” Addley said in the in-school announcement. “Thank you for your ongoing collaborative efforts in helping to protect the well-being of our greater community.”
COVID-19 Found in Two Tests
“On Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2020, the Darien Public Schools District COVID Response Team was notified that two members of our school community tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19), in unrelated cases,” Addley said in the email, sent to Darienite.com at 4:58 p.m., Wednesday.
“One case was reported at Darien High School, with the individual’s last day at school being [Friday] Oct. 16,” Addley wrote. “The other case reported at Holmes School, with the individual’s last day at school being [Tuesday] Oct. 20.”
(At the bottom of this article are the full texts of Addley’s Wednesday announcement and the Darien High School remote learning day announcement on Thursday morning.)
A History of District Foot-Dragging on Announcements
Addley had also, separately announced another positive COVID-19 test at Darien High School last week in an email sent by Alicia Casucci, the district’s school nursing director. That announcement was never sent to Darienite.com until it was published elsewhere (apparently not as the result of district officials notifying any news organization) and only after Darienite.com demanded a copy from Addley with a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.
Addley told Darienite.com on Friday that those announcements will be sent by the school district and individual principals to Darienite.com in the future. Darienite.com has repeatedly asked Addley and repeatedly asked previous superintendents to send such announcements, sometimes with FOIA demands.
Full Texts of First Two Announcements
Addley’s announcement late Wednesday afternoon:
Dear Parents and Community Members:
On Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2020, the Darien Public Schools District COVID Response Team was notified that two members of our school community tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19), in unrelated cases. One case was reported at Darien High School, with the individual’s last day at school being Oct. 16, 2020. The other case reported at Holmes School, with the individual’s last day at school being October 20, 2020. The affected individuals have been instructed to remain home in self-isolation for ten (10) days and have been provided with additional instructions to follow prior to returning to school. Family members have also been instructed to self-quarantine and get tested.
The details of each case have been reviewed with the Darien Health Department and our District Medical Advisor. Contact tracing has been completed and it has been determined six (6) individuals are considered close contacts and require quarantine. All individuals have been notified and given further instructions regarding quarantine and further evaluation.
Your continued cooperation with monitoring for symptoms and practicing preventative measures is greatly appreciated. We will continue to share information about confirmed cases of COVID-19 in order to be transparent and communicative, and to protect the health and safety of students and staff.
Thank you for your ongoing collaborative efforts in helping to protect the well-being of our greater community.
Sincerely,
Dr. Alan Addley
Superintendent
Alicia Casucci, APRN, CPNP
Director of Nursing Services
This email, from Paul Ribeiro, Darien High School assistant principal, apparently to parents, students and staff at the school, was forwarded by a parent of a high school student:
Good morning,
As a follow up from the Superintendent’s message making today an e-learning day, below is the link to today’s e-learning schedule. Today is an H day. Thank you.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/14IIUvTKIVGvxrCvm7F_Mm43Pe7W9aToEijZ3eU0TWio/edit
[Editor’s note: The link above leads to a Web page consisting of the image below.]
Addley’s Thursday Morning Announcement
Here’s the full text:
Staff and Parents:
Yesterday, we notified the community that two members of our school community tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19), in unrelated cases. One case was reported at Darien High School and the other case reported at Holmes School. All communications and follow up interventions regarding contact tracing and quarantining procedures were completed.
Last night, the COVID-19 Response Team was notified of an additional member of the high school community who also tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19). Contact tracing commenced. Upon review this morning, it was apparent that additional communications and mitigation strategies needed to occur before staff and students returned to the high school building. Hence, this morning’s late decision to close the high school for today and move into a day of remote learning for high school students. Also, all after school high school activities and athletics are cancelled for today.
Today, the DHS COVID-19 Response Team will finalize its contact tracing and notification efforts. Once this process is complete, we will update the DPS community with more detailed information.
Thank you for your understanding and partnership as we continue to make decisions to ensure the health and safety of our school community,
Sincerely,
Alan Addley, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
Holmes Principal Paula Bleakley’s Announcement
This text was sent to Darienite.com by the school district:
Dear Holmes School Families,
I wanted to reach out to let you know that I have been identified as a direct contact of an individual who has tested positive for COVID-19 and, as per CDC and Connecticut Department of Public Health protocols, I have been directed to self-quarantine for 14 days. During the time of my quarantine, Mr. Harvey will be the lead administrator on site at Holmes School.
While I feel sad about not being able to be physically at school, please know that I will continue to work remotely with our wonderful teachers and staff to ensure that our students continue to learn and grow while maintaining safety as our top priority.
Please feel free to email me should you have any questions.
With warmest regards,
Paula Bleakley
Principal
Addley’s and Casucci’s Late Thursday Announcement
Superintendent Alan Addley and head school district Nurse Alicia Casucci sent this email to parents. It was sent to Darienite.com at 6:34 p.m., Thursday:
Dear Parents:
Thank you to the high school parents today for your understanding and flexibility this morning in accommodating the high school closure and the transition to the full day of remote learning. Students, teachers and parents transitioned successfully to remote learning.
As a follow up to this morning’s communication, the COVID-19 Response Team completed its contact tracing and communications. It was determined one member of the high school community tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19) with the individual’s last day at school being [Wednesday] Oct. 21, 2020. The affected person has been instructed to remain home in self-isolation for 10 days and have been provided with additional instructions to follow prior to returning to school. Family members have also been instructed to self-quarantine and get tested.
It was also determined 40 individuals are considered close contacts and require to be quarantined. All individuals have been notified and given further instructions regarding quarantine and further evaluation. The high school building also received additional cleaning.
Details associated with this confirmed case and the decision whether or not to return to school were reviewed with the Darien Health Department and our district medical advisor. The high school will reopen tomorrow, Friday, Oct. 23 in the full In Person Learning model.
Your continued cooperation with monitoring for symptoms and practicing preventative measures () is greatly appreciated. We will continue to share information about confirmed cases of COVID-19 in order to be transparent and communicative, and to protect the health and safety of students and staff.
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 of Schools
Alicia Casucci, APRN, CPNP