November 9, 2020
Dear Putnam Valley School Community,
Today, the District was notified that two individuals within the District have tested positive for COVID-19. The first case involves a student from Putnam Valley Middle School who tested positive. The student has not been in attendance at Putnam Valley Middle School since October 30 and was not symptomatic when last present in the building. While the Department of Health is still conducting their case investigation, we do not anticipate there will be a need to conduct contact tracing at the school. This individual was not infectious when last present in the building.
The second case involves an individual at Putnam Valley Elementary School who also tested positive. This person does not interact directly with students. A small number of adults who were determined to be contacts of this individual have already been contacted and sent home to quarantine.
We are also awaiting test results from another individual at Putnam Valley Elementary School who is a contact to a known positive case and has developed symptoms consistent with COVID-19. We are taking a cautious approach and immediately asked this individual to begin isolating at home. Individuals who were determined to be contacts of this individual have also been told to quarantine as we await the test results.
We continue to work collaboratively with the Putnam and Westchester County Departments of Health. There is no reason to suspect that these cases are connected in any way. As required by law, we must maintain confidentiality, which prevents us from further identifying individuals.
As a reminder, if you believe at any point you may have been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19, you should self-quarantine and speak to your healthcare provider. If you suspect your child is becoming ill, that child should stay home and you should consult with your physician. Symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, muscle pain, fatigue, new onset of loss of taste and/or smell, and sometimes vomiting or diarrhea.
Visit the NY State Find a Test Site Near You page and enter your address to view a list of the nearest testing sites. For more information on COVID-19, please call (866) 588-0195 or visit the Putnam County Department of Health at Putnam County Department of Health website.
We know this news continues to be unsettling to everyone. We remain committed to the health and safety of all our students and staff. Please let these events serve as a reminder to everyone to continue to follow the public health safety protocols and keep each other healthy and safe.
Sincerely,
Dr. Jeremy Luft
Superintendent of Schools