Saturday the 23rd, we received notification an individual who has been on the whale bus has tested positive for COVID-19. While we must protect the privacy of those involved, we believe it is best to communicate transparently with you so you can make well-informed decisions for your family. As we get more information daily, we are acting vigilantly to keep our students and staff safe at Cleveland Schools.
We are working directly with Pawnee County Department of Health officials to address this situation and will continue to follow their guidance. With their help, we were able to identify the small number of staff and students this person was in close contact with, and instructed them on their next steps. If you have not been contacted directly by the school, you do not need to take action at this time. However, if your children are riders on this bus and have not been directly contacted, but are concerned or have questions, please feel free to contact your child’s school on Monday morning.
To be clear, under the guidance of the local county health department, this incident is not causing the closures of any buildings or classrooms. Through prompt contact tracing we are confident we were able to mitigate the impact of the virus in this instance.
Please remember 4 key action items for all families in order to help the school in our efforts to keep COVID-19 away from our campus.
- If you have any symptoms or have knowingly come into close contact with someone infected with Covid 19 for 10 minutes or more, stay home and communicate with your school.
- We strongly encourage all people on campus to wear a face covering.
- Practice Social Distancing when possible.
- Always remember to diligently wash your hands.
If you, or any member of your family exhibit COVID-19 symptoms, please contact your medical provider for advice immediately. Symptoms usually appear 2-14 days after exposure.
Our greatest priority is the safety of our students, staff, and community members. It is important to remember children are greatly influenced by the reaction of adults when facing difficult circumstances. We encourage everyone to remain calm and to be empathetic and respectful to those affected.
If you have any questions please call the school office at 918-358-2210,
Alan Baker
Superintendent