CHS Positive Case 11/17

November 18, 2020

Dear Cranford Community

I am writing to provide you an update on the status of events at Cranford High School. I have remained in close communication with Department of Health officials. During this time, they conducted contact tracing. Please be advised that their research indicates that the transmission occurred at a non-school event. Furthermore, the Department of Health officials indicated that they believe the mitigation strategies implemented in school, particularly the wearing of face coverings, make it unlikely that further transmission took place at school. Please also know that an additional cleaning and disinfecting will be completed today. In light of all this information, the Department of Health has verified that at the present time, Cranford High School can reopen tomorrow, Thursday, November 19, 2020.However, it is important to remain vigilant of one’s health status and to contact your child’s doctor should you have any individual concerns.

The school district is not able to provide additional information about the individual who has tested positive. However, please be reminded that the Township Health Office, who conducted the contact tracing, would have communicated directly with any individual(s) who was identified as a close contact and would have advised those families accordingly.

As always, we appreciate your support and cooperation. You can assist us by remaining vigilant but sensible in your approach to dealing with this health concern.

Best,

Scott Rubin

Wear a mask, Wash your hands, Watch your distance

November 17th

Dear Cranford community,

The purpose of this letter is to inform you that an individual at Cranford High School has tested positive for COVID-19 and is currently self-isolating. The District is working closely with public health officials in order to assure the health and safety of our community. The Township Health Office, who is conducting contact tracing, will communicate directly with those individuals who have been identified as a close contact and will advise those families accordingly. As per the NJ Department of Health, close contact is defined as someone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period starting from 2 days before illness onset (or, for asymptomatic patients, 2 days prior to test specimen collection) until the time the patient is isolated.

Please be advised that parents/guardians of any student who have one or more classes with someone who tested positive for COVID-19 have already been notified. As a result of the positive case, Cranford High School will transition to full remote learning tomorrow, Wednesday, November 18, to provide time for a deep cleaning and disinfecting of the building and to conduct the contact tracing. Please note the results of the contact tracing will assist the Department of Health in providing guidance on whether Cranford High School can resume in-person instruction on Thursday. In the meantime, the Township Health Department has verified that, at the present time, all other District schools, with the exception of Orange Avenue School and Hillside Avenue School should continue to operate on their current schedules.

I also recognize that many of you would like more detailed information about the case or contacts of the case. The information I am providing you here has been composed in consultation with and vetted by the Department of Health, and I am not in a position to comment further. We are hopeful that the mitigation measures we have in place, such as universal masking, screening procedures, social distancing, enhanced cleaning procedures, and other precautions, will have their intended effect and reduce or minimize the risk of transmission in the school environment. We encourage parents and students to continue following the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention promoted safeguards, such as:

Staying home when you are sick;
Washing hands often for at least 20 seconds;
Covering coughs and sneezes and properly disposing of tissues;
Limiting close contact with people who are sick and not sharing food, drinks and utensils;
Practicing social distancing (staying at least 6 feet apart);
Wearing a face covering while in school; and
Continuing to monitor your health for symptoms
Immediately notifying your child’s school if they have a positive COVID-19 test result

As always, we appreciate your support and cooperation. Moving forward, you can assist us by remaining vigilant but sensible in your approach to dealing with this health concern. Thank you for your ongoing patience and flexibility as we continue to make our way through this school year.

Sincerely,

Scott Rubin
Wear a mask, Wash your hands, Watch your distance