17 November 2020
TO: USD327
FROM: Dale Brungardt, Superintendent
We have been informed by the Ellsworth County Health Department, that a couple of our students and athletes who attended school on Monday and Tuesday and/or who participated in Monday’s HS Wrestling and HS Girl’s basketball practice have tested positive for COVID-19, commonly known as “Coronavirus,” based on test results obtained on November 17th. Per County and District policy, these students and families has been directed to self-quarantine until permitted to return.
We are alerting you to this development because we believe that open communication and district health is important. Ellsworth County Health Department(ECHD) is working with these students to determine possible exposures.
IF you are CONTACTED by the ECHD within the next 24 hours that means you have been identified a close contact during the classes or practices on Monday the 16th or Tuesday the 17th of November. ECHD will then provide your course of action.
If you DO NOT receive a phone call, and you feel your child was close contact, please contact ECHD at 785-472-4488.
Due to this exposure event, the Ellsworth County Health will quarantine these students. The quarantine periods will end on December 1st OR December 2nd. In the meantime, know that USD327 will continue with our safety and health protocols. These protocols include masks, face shields, sanitizing hands, wiping down equipment and other sanitizing processes.
In the interim, if you feel you are showing signs and symptoms of Covid-19, we encourage you to seek medical advice and contact the Ellsworth County Health Department for more information. They can be reached at 785-472-4488.
We are committed to providing a safe and healthy educational experience and work environment for all of our students, athletes, and employees. We also endeavor to be a positive service to our community. It is in the interest of those goals that we provide this information out of an abundance of caution.
We also want to take this opportunity to remind you that one of our core values as a district is respect for and among our employees and students. We will treat information regarding the identity of employees/students with suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19 as confidential to the extent feasible and we will comply with applicable laws regarding the handling of such information. Further, per district policy, we will not tolerate harassment of, or discrimination or retaliation against, employees and students.
Please contact Dale Brungardt, Superintendent at (785) 472-5561 if you have any questions or concerns.
For more information about COVID-19, please visit the CDC website at: http://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
Respectfully,
Dale Brungardt
Superintendent