Grafflin Elementary School Notification - November 1, 2021

November 1, 2021

Dear Grafflin School Community,

Late into Sunday evening, we had multiple individuals confirmed positive for COVID-19 who were at school at various times over the course of last week. As of today, we have six active cases that appear to be isolated to specific locations. Exposure to these cases spanned from Monday (10/25) through Friday (10/29). As required by the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act, we must maintain the confidentiality of those who are COVID-19 positive.

After consultation with the Westchester County Department of Health, the District will conduct testing at Grafflin at 1pm this afternoon for an identified subset of students. Parents of these students have already been notified. If you are one of the families selected to test, please print and complete the COVID-19 CONSENT FOR TESTING FORM, come to campus between 1:00pm-1:30pm and stay in your vehicle. We will have staff prepared to assist you through the testing process. Our testing process is similar at each building. Please visit our COVID Testing Management System for specific information on how testing will be conducted.

As a reminder, the District offers COVID testing for asymptomatic unvaccinated students each Monday, 3:00-5:00 pm, at Seven Bridges. If you would like to have your child screened for COVID-19 today (11/1), you can make an appointment through our COVID Testing Management System. Please schedule this appointment before 8am this morning.

We are working collaboratively with the Westchester County Department of Health to identify staff members and students who were exposed to COVID-19. Individuals who have been exposed must quarantine for 10 days from the last exposure date and should be tested for COVID-19 five days after their last exposure. All families of children who were potentially exposed to these individuals at school were contacted by school administration.

As a reminder, if you believe that at any point you may have been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19, you should self-quarantine and be tested for COVID-19. Visit the NY State Find a Test Site Near You page and enter your address to view a list of the nearest testing sites. In addition, if you suspect you are becoming ill, you should stay home. Symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough, sore throat, and runny nose. Additional symptoms include muscle pain, fatigue, and sometimes vomiting or diarrhea. You should consult with your physician for medical advice in specific cases.

Thank you for your understanding. I will continue to keep you informed regarding this particular situation, as appropriate. For more information on COVID-19, please call (866) 588-0195 or visit the Westchester County Department of Health homepage.

Sincerely,

Christine Ackerman, PhD
Superintendent of Schools