Broward student tests positive
Four students showing symptoms of COVID-19
At least one Broward student and two employees have tested positive forCOVID19 since schools reopenedFriday, while four students have been sent home due to possible coronavirus symptoms.
The first confirmed case was a first grader on thewest campus of the Pembroke Pines Charter Elementary School, run by the city of Pembroke Pines, spokes woman Marianne Wohlert said. The employee cases were at Miramar High and Park Trails Elementary in Parkland, according to incident reports filled out by district administrators.
The students showing symptoms were at Central Park Elementary in Plantation and three Pembroke Pines elementary schools: Palm Cove, Chapel Trail and Pembroke Pines Elementary.
After keeping campuses closed since mid-March due to COVID-19, Broward schools reopened Friday for grades Pre-Kto 2 and some special needs students. Students in grades 3, 4, 5, 6 and 9 can return Tuesday while those in grades 7, 8, 10, 11 and 12 can return Thursday.
Although many charter schools opened before district-run schools, the city of Pembroke Pines followed the district’s schedule, welcoming its first elementary students back Friday. One of those was a first grader who was confirmed positive for COVID-19, Wohlert said.
“The parent called and let us know on Saturday,” Wohlert said. “The parents of every student at the schoolwere notified.”
She would not say whether any students have been quarantined other than the affected student. She said the school is following the Broward school district’s procedures for handlingCOVID-19 cases.
Howthe school district is handling cases is less clear.
The office of Chief Communications Officer Kathy Koch did not respond to repeated requests Monday, other than acknowledgements of the questions.
But brief reports filed by representatives of the district’s Office of School Performance and Accountability and obtained by the South Florida Sun Sentinel give some details of cases and potential cases.
At Miramar High, the principal reportedMonday that an employee tested positive forCOVID-19.“The school has been in contact with Risk Management and is following the directive of communication and staff quarantine/testing recommendations.”
Central Park Elementary reported that amalestudent was sent home Friday by the isolation nurse with flu like symptoms. “The father took student to doctor to be testedandwill notify school immediately of results.” It’s unclear if those results have come back.
At Palm Cove Elementary, the principal reported a student has presented suspectedCOVID-19symptoms. “The school is following district guidelines as well as guidelines from the Florida Department of Health,” the report said. “A deep cleaning with disinfectant will be conducted using the district’s cleaning protocol.”
At Chapel Trail Elementary, the principal reported a student presented symptomsofCOVID-19. The school has been in contact with RiskManagement and Coordinated Student Health Servicesandis following the directive of communication andstaff quarantine/testing recommendations.
At Pembroke Pines Elementary, the principal reported a student has presented suspected COVID-19 symptoms and is following guidelines by the district and Department of Health, a report says. “A deep cleaning with disinfectant will be conducted using the District’s cleaning protocol,” the report says.
Apreviously resorted case ofanemployee atParkTrails Elementary is a teacher, said Anna Fusco, president of the Broward Teachers Union, She said she thinks the teacher’wws students are being quarantined.
Miami-Dade schools, which opened last week, closed its MAST Academy, a marine science magnet school, on Monday and switched to virtual instruction after two confirmed cases late last week. The school is slated to reopen Tuesday.
Although Miami-Dade has had at least six other cases, noother schoolswere closed.
“High schools are larger and there is more movement of students (between classes, to/from cafeteria etc.) which means more individuals to notify in our contact tracing/school investigation process,” spokeswoman Natlia Zea said in an email. “Additionally, due to the timing of this self-reported case, on Sunday, it was decided that the best course of action in this particular situation was to temporarily pivot” to online learning.
Palm Beach County schools have reported 33 employee and 31 student cases since schoolopenedin mid-September. No schools have been temporarily closed as of yet.