Bell Middle School Notification - December 1, 2020

December 1, 2020

Dear Bell Middle School Community,

Today, after dismissal, the Westchester County Department of Health confirmed that two individuals from Bell Middle School tested positive for COVID-19. One has not been in the building since November 25, 2020 and they were not infectious at that time. The second, is connected to Team 5B. Based on our information, we have children in pods 8 & 9 who were directly exposed to this individual while they were potentially infectious on Wednesday, November 25, 2020.

As a result of the number of staff who will be required to quarantine due to possible exposure, all students and staff associated with Team 5B will be placed on remote instruction, following their regular school schedule through zoom, until they return on Thursday, December 10, 2020. Students should check Canvas for additional instructions.

The Westchester County Department of Health (WCDOH) has a contact tracing system in place for Westchester County when there is a confirmed case. If your child has been identified as a close contact of the person who tested positive, you will be contacted directly. You should receive a call from a contact tracer from the WCDOH. For such calls, your caller ID may read NYS Contact Tracing or display a phone number with a 518 area code. Please answer these calls promptly and provide the Contact Tracers with the information they need which will help to protect us all.

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. For more information on COVID-19, please call (866) 588-0195 or visit the Westchester Department of Health homepage.

Sincerely,

Christine Ackerman, PhD
Superintendent of Schools