Some quarantined but elementary school and children's center remain open after positive tests
A day after Weston County School District #1 issued a press release advising the community that a staff member had tested positive for the COVID-19 virus, Superintendent Brad LaCroix issued a more detailed follow-up statement in conjunction with Weston County Children's Center Director Francie Gregory revealing two more positive test results for staff members at that facility. Today's release indicated that quarantine has been suggested for a number of individuals as a precautionary measure due to potential exposure to the virus, and that students and staff members for both WCSD #1 and Weston County Childrens Center are among those recomended for quarantine by health officials.
The following is the complete text of today's press release:
Weston County School District #1 was notified yesterday by the Wyoming Department of Health that a member of the staff at Newcastle Elementary School had tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. According to public health protocols and guidelines adopted in our Smart Start Return to School Plan, a number of people who were in contact with the individual were notified of the positive test result, but no further action was recommended by health officials.
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Weston County Children’s Center has also been notified that two staff members have tested positive for the virus. Additional notifications have been issued in regards to these positive test results. Public health officials have also recommended a number of people who were potentially exposed to the virus through contact with these individuals enter quarantine as a precaution. Contact tracing suggested quarantine for select students and staff members at both Weston County Children’s Center and Weston County School District #1.
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It has been determined that the risk for potential exposure to any other children or adults at any of the community’s schools from the individuals who tested positive for the COVID-19 virus was minimal, and the elementary school and children’s center are both open, on schedule and welcoming children to their classrooms today.
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Weston County School District #1 and the Weston County Children’s Center have released this update as part of our ongoing effort to remain transparent with community partners in the effort to educate our children safely through this pandemic, and to allow parents to make informed choices regarding the physical, social and educational health of their children.
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“It is hard to strike the balance between the need to respect privacy when it comes to health issues and our responsibility to keep our children and community safe. Because of that, I am unable to provide any further details at this time, but I do want the community to know that state health officials have not recommended any further measures need to be taken at this time. We were also assured we could continue to hold classes and have children at the elementary school and children’s center under the guidelines we set up when facilities were re-opened and classes began, so that is what we have done,” Superintendent Brad LaCroix said.
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“This experience has made us even more vigilant than we were before, but we do remain open and we will continue to operate under the recommendations provided to us from health officials,” Weston County Children’s Center Director Francie Gregory stated.
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