OKEECHOBEE, Fla. — Twenty-four students and two adults at an Okeechobee County school are under quarantine for coronavirus exposure.
According to the Okeechobee County School District, a teacher at South Elementary School tested positive for the virus and has not been to campus since Tuesday.
On Thursday, three dozen students and one teacher were transitioned to remote learning after a student tested positive for coronavirus at Okeechobee High School.
On Friday, the district sent out a letter to parents explaining the potential coronavirus exposure at South Elementary School.
Read the letter below:
To whom it may it concern,
This afternoon the District was notified by the Department of Health that a teacher at South Elementary School has tested positive for COVID-19. The teacher has not been on campus since Tuesday, August 18, 2020.
We are working closely with the Department of Health to identify those who may have been in direct contact with the teacher. We will assist in the Department’s efforts to provide information in regards to contact tracing. If you have potentially been exposed, the Department of Health will reach out to you as a part of the contact tracing efforts. We will protect the confidentiality of those involved in this incident.
We have taken the necessary steps to sanitize any areas which may have been compromised, as outlined in the District’s Reopening Plan. The District continues to adhere to CDC guidelines, which include the use face coverings, maintaining social distancing whenever possible, and checking the temperature of everyone who arrives on campus. We encourage everyone to be observant of symptoms that could develop within the next 14 days. You may want to seek advice on testing from a medical professional or be tested immediately if symptoms arise.
If a student or staff member seeks a COVID-19 test, he/she must remain home while awaiting the results of the test. It is very important that any student or staff member who takes a COVID-19 test immediately notify the Human Resources Department at (863) 462-5000, Ext. 1022.
Sincerely, Dr. Joseph G. Stanley, SHRM-CP Director of Human Resources
The district's Assistant Superintendent of Administrative Services Dylan Tedders said in a Facebook post that it was determined Friday afternoon that the students and the two adults were identified through contact tracing efforts and those individuals would be contacted by the health department with instructions.
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Tedders stated that a phone message was also sent to parents.
"Custodians are cleaning and disinfecting the rooms and administrators are making plans to transition these students, for the next fourteen days, to Option 2," Tedders said.
