Milford Schools issue statement after COVID-19 situation arises

Dear Parents and Guardians,

UPDATED: This morning we were made aware that a parent of students who attend Pattison Elementary and Milford High School works in the medical field and came into contact with a patient who is being tested for COVID-19. This contact with the patient happened while the parent was at work yesterday and the children were not in contact with the parent until after school last evening.

The two students are not in school today and the family has self-quarantined. It is important to note that this patient has not been confirmed to have COVID-19.

Based on this timeline, the self quarantine occurred prior to any exposure outside of the home. We have confirmed there has not been any exposure with our students and staff based on this occurrence. Therefore, we will not close Pattison Elementary nor the High School.

Please understand that due to privacy laws to protect student information and medical information we cannot disclose any further details about this situation.

To reemphasize the information I sent yesterday afternoon, the district is not remaining idle as this situation with the spread of COVID-19 unfolds nationwide, especially as it has become more worrisome now that cases are in our state and patients are being tested locally. We will be prepared if the virus spreads into our community and impacts our school district. To date, there have been no confirmed cases in our community.

Milford Schools is taking the situation seriously, while keeping perspective on the overall pandemic and spread of the virus. See below to review the letter sent yesterday and a list of resources for staying healthy.

Our promise is to work together with you to keep our students healthy, safe, and learning. We will continually communicate with you as new information is available.

Sincerely,

Nancy House, Superintendent

Dear parents and guardians,

We are not remaining idle as this situation with the spread of COVID-19 unfolds nationwide, especially as it has become more worrisome now that there are confirmed cases in our state. We will be prepared if the virus spreads into our community and impacts our school district. To date, there have been no confirmed cases in our community. Milford Schools is taking the situation seriously, while keeping perspective on the overall pandemic and spread of the virus.

We are in constant contact with the Clermont County Public Health Department and the Ohio Department of Education about COVID-19 and how we can best prevent its spread. It is our practice to take our cues from the Health Department as they are experts and can give us, and you, the best, most factual information. One of the curses of social media is that rumors take on a life of their own, often morphing into something that was never intended. Please help reduce anxiety by sharing reputable information from reliable sources. Links are included at the bottom of this email.

Ways we are ensuring the safety and health of students and staff:

• Our custodians use a hospital-grade disinfectant cleaner called Virex to clean nightly. The use of Virex was implemented in 2006 at the time the bird flu pandemic was prevalent.
• We are instructing students to wash their hands regularly using warm water and soap for a minimum of 20 seconds.
• If your child is sick, please keep them at home. We ask that no child returns to school until their fever has returned to normal for a minimum of 24 hours without the use of fever-lowering medications. Some parents have raised concerns about school attendance. We want you to keep your sick children at home if they are ill. The best way to limit the spread of this or any disease is to stay home if you are ill.
• If you suspect that you, or your child, may be showing symptoms of COVID-19, call your doctor.
• Additionally, from this point forward district-wide, we have suspended awards for perfect attendance. We believe strongly that the health of your child and our school district is more important than an award for perfect attendance.

In the event COVID-19 spreads into our community and we need to cancel school and/or activities as a result of the outbreak, we will be prepared. We will have a plan in place if the need arises, but our first priority will be to keep kids in school and learning.

There are significant challenges should we need to close our doors for a period of time. We ask that your family prepare, as well. Parents should begin making plans for childcare if schools are closed for an extended period of time. While some of our grade levels and certain classes can utilize online learning, we cannot replace face-to-face instruction for all of our students. If we have to miss a significant amount of instructional time, we will determine the best way to make up instruction.

We encourage you to regularly check these websites for the most up to date information about COVID-19:

• Centers for Disease Control
• Clermont County Public Health
• American Academy of Pediatrics

You can also download this flyer, which includes tips on how to protect yourself and others.

Our promise is to work together with you to keep our students healthy, safe, and learning. We will continually communicate with you as new information is available.

Sincerely,

Nancy House, Superintendent