To our Edgewood Parents, Guardians, and Staff,
On Friday, September 4, the Director of the Ohio Department of Health issued new orders to K-12 schools. This order contains information for parents, guardians of students and school staff members regarding how to report a positive COVID-19 diagnosis to their district. This action will assist Edgewood in performing timely contact tracing and prevent further transmission of COVID-19. Likewise, the new order outlined the reporting and communication requirements for school districts.
We want to share the details of this order with our families and staff members. This order goes into effect on Tuesday, September 8.
Notifying the School if a Student or Staff Member is Diagnosed with COVID-19
Edgewood parents/guardians of students as well as school staff members who have been diagnosed with COVID-19, whether by laboratory test or through clinical examination, are encouraged to notify the school no later than 24 hours after receiving a confirmed diagnosis.
Steps Required for Parents and Guardians:
Edgewood parents/guardians should call their student’s school nurse. If news of the diagnosis is learned over a weekend, parents/guardians are to leave a message on the school nurse’s office phone and send an email.
School Nurse contact information by building:
Babeck Early Childhood Center: 513-867-3430, ext. 5012, Email: beth.birchwell@edgewoodschools.net
Edgewood Elementary School: 513-867-3440, ext. 3125, Email: diane.herbel@edgewoodschools.net
Seven Mile Elementary School: 513-867-3420, ext. 6120, Email: stacie.singleton@edgewoodschools.net
Edgewood Middle School: 513-867-3450, ext. 2130, Email: carmen.cox@edgewoodschools.net
Edgewood High School: 513-867-6300, ext. 6319,Email: tonya.oehler@edgewoodschools.net
Steps Required for School Staff:
Call your building principal or supervisor to report your diagnosis. If news of a diagnosis is learned over the weekend, email your principal/supervisor.
Communication Requirements from Edgewood to Parents/Guardians, Staff, and the Butler County General Health District
Within 24 hours of becoming aware of a student, teacher, staff member, or coach who has tested positive or been diagnosed with COVID-19, Edgewood will take action to notify affected parents/guardians of students and staff of the existence of the case and will share as much information as possible, without disclosing the individual’s name or any protected health information. Here are the steps that will be taken:
Written notification will be sent via email to the parents/guardians of all students who share a classroom space or have participated in a school activity during the COVID-19 infectious period of a student, teacher, staff member, or coach.
Written notification will also be provided, via email, to all parents/guardians of students in the affected school building notifying them of a positive test result. Staff members in the affected building will also be notified via email. Edgewood is required to provide this notification for each case, although the district is permitted to consolidate notifications, if necessary.
Information will be posted on our district’s website to inform the families, students, and staff members in the other unaffected school buildings of the number of COVID-19 cases and number of students and staff isolated or quarantined, if known. This information will be posted under COVID-19 Updates on our website (www.edgewoodschools.com).
Within 24 hours of becoming aware of a student, teacher, staff member, or coach who tests positive or is diagnosed with COVID-19, Edgewood will report the case(s) to the Butler County General Health District (BCGHD).
Starting September 15, BCGHD will report the number of newly reported and cumulative positive tests or diagnosed COVID-19 cases from our district along with all other districts in Butler County. This information will be from the previous reporting week, as applicable. The information will be sent to the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) every Tuesday.
The ODH will publish aggregate weekly and cumulative case data by school district. This information will be published every Thursday and will be posted on coronavirus.ohio.gov
I sincerely appreciate our parents, guardians, and school staff members for notifying Edgewood no later than 24 hours after receiving a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19. Your timeliness in reporting this information about your student (or for yourself, if you are a school staff member) will assist our district in performing the necessary contact tracing and notifying the affected individuals. By working together, we will ensure we are keeping everyone informed and safe.
Russ Fussnecker
Superintendent, Edgewood City Schools