2 more cases found at Garnet Valley schools

CONCORD » The Garnet Valley School District reported two additional students have tested positive for the COVID- 19 virus.

One student was in the high school and one in the middle school, school district Superintendent Marc Bertranado told parents in a letter over the weekend.

The two cases were found not to have been related to a case in the high school last Wednesday.

The district is working in conjunction with the Chester County Department of Health to identify close contacts and notify specific students or staff who are required to quarantine.

Bertrando said quarantining is a mitigation strategy to help slow the spread of the virus. The high school staff began contacting parents whose children may have been in contact with the student in school or on the bus so they have advanced notice. The school has also informed the student’s teachers.

The school is not identifying the student’s name or grade, citing the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act and HIPAA.

“This is our first student who has tested positive while attending school, and we will work with CCHD throughout the day and weekend to ensure everyone’s health and and positive cases present in our schools, staff and students will be notified if they are deemed to be close contacts. I want to reinforce that the district has prepared for this situation and has specific plans and protocols in place that will greatly enhance the safety,” Bertrando wrote. “As the weeks progress, the health department’s ability to contact trace and subsequently mitigate any potential spread.”

Students at Garnet Valley had begun to move from a virtual setting to a cohort hybrid setting in the last few weeks.

Bertrando said with any positive cases present in schools, staff and students will be notified if they are deemed to be close contacts. He added the district has prepared for this situation and has specific plans and protocols in place that will greatly enhance the health department’s ability to contact trace and subsequently mitigate any potential spread.