Holley High School teacher tests positive for Covid

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 October 2020 at 9:19 pm

HOLLEY – The school district has informed the community a Holley High School teacher has tested positive for Covid-19.

The positive test follows two students who have tested positive in the Holley Junior-Senior High School.

The teacher was last working at the school on Wednesday and the last day the teacher had contact with students was on Tuesday with the “Red Hawks” cohort, Brian Bartalo, the district superintendent, said in a letter to the community posted on the district website.

Orleans County Health Department officials have told Holley school leaders the teacher’s Covid case does not appear to be related to the two positive student cases.

“Contact tracing has to begin as soon as possible,” Bartalo said. “Just as in the student cases, the district is unable to legally disclose any further details or personal identifiable information about this teacher per the federal privacy laws.”

The district this evening was planning to share class rosters and contact information with the Health Department so that the department can begin the tracing process.

“The only students (parents) who may be called will be those high school students (Red Hawks) who were in school on Tuesday and who may have been in close contact with this particular teacher,” Bartalo said. “At this time, there’s no need for students to quarantine or get tested, unless you are contacted by the Health Department and directed to do so.”

If a student is contacted and put on mandatory quarantine, the district asks that the family call the high school nurse at 638-6316, ext. 5100 or the principal’s office at 638-6318, ext. 5505.  The district will work with the students about being fully remote during the quarantine period.

It is recommended that students and staff members continue daily monitoring for symptoms of Covid-19 which could include fever, loss of taste or smell, headache, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, sore throat, fatigue, congestion or runny nose, body aches and/or nausea. If these or unusual symptoms occur, please consult your medical provider, Bartalo said in his letter.

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