Bell Middle School Notification - December 7, 2020

December 7, 2020

Dear Bell Middle School Community,

Today, it was confirmed that another individual at Robert E. Bell Middle School has tested positive for COVID-19. Based on our information, children who are on Team 5A in pod 5 were directly exposed to this individual while they were potentially infectious on Friday, December 4, 2020.

Due to the number of staff who are now quarantined, all students on Team 5A will remain on remote instruction and may return to school for onsite instruction on January 4, 2021. Students will continue to follow their regular school schedule through zoom and 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