THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2020 Page 5 Superintendent discloses positive COVID-19 case in Saugus Public Schools (Editor’s Note: Saugus Public Schools Superintendent Dr. David DeRuosi, Jr. wrote the following letter last Friday, Nov., 13, to all families in the school district, alerting them to a member in the school community testing positive for the Coronavirus.) Dear parents, caregivers and guardians: I am writing to inform you that a person in our SMHS school community has tested positive for COVID-19. Our first responsibility is to keep our students and staff safe. We have been planning for this scenario during our reopening planning process and have a comprehensive plan in place to sanitize the school, inform families whose students were at risk of exposure or in close contact, and support the affected family as they navigate this stressful experience. Our student body and staff have been closely adhering to the safety protocols including mask wearing, hand washing, and physical distancing. We are grateful to our families for their continued efforts to keep students home at the first sign of symptoms. These measures, taken in combination, greatly reduce the risk of additional transmission. Though we cannot provide specific information about our school community member who tested positive, your child was not a close contact (defined as being within 6 feet of the person for at least 15 minCOVID | FROM PAGE 1 has been cancelled. “It’s just so sad,” Crabtree told the Board of Selectmen during his manager’s report Tuesday night (Nov. 17). “Because of COVID and the governor’s orders, we won’t have that event,” he said. Crabtree told the board that the latest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Saugus had increased to 1,080 as of Tuesday, with the death toll from the virus at 45. “The positive news: We’re going to move forward with having the Christmas Eve Santa Parade,” he said. With the annual parade moving through the streets of Saugus, passing by people’s homes with a greater opportunity to practice social distancing, the town manager said that event would pose a significantly lesser risk for town residents being exposed to the virus. More than 250,000 Amerutes) of the affected school member. Please continue to monitor your child for symptoms, and keep your child home if he/she/they shows any symptoms or is not feeling well. Parents of students who were in close contact with the community member will be notified privately. All close contacts should be tested but must self-quarantine for 14 days after the last exposure to the person who tested positive, regardless of test result. We are also following all Department of Health protocols, including collaborating with our local board of health to complete contact tracing. Additionally, we are asking those parents whose students are tested for COVID-19 to please report the results to the school nurse. We are working hard to understand the impact of the virus on our school community and this information is a critical piece of that puzzle. To further prevent transmission of the virus to other staff and students, we have sanitized the school with a focus on those areas frequented by the community member that tested positive. We will continue to be vigilant in adhering to all of the protocols that have been put in place in an effort to continue in person learning. We are also providing remote learning for all students required to quarantine at home to continue to provide instruction, structure, icans – more than 10,000 in Massachusetts – have died from COVID-19 since its outbreak in March. “Hopefully, people are aware of the numbers,” Crabtree said, adding that he hoped people would understand that cancellation of the tree lighting event was based on the concerns of town health officials about a second surge of the virus that could be worse than the first one. “Please wear masks,” Crabtree pleaded with the public. People should continue to practice social distancing, wash their hands with soap and water and use hand sanitizer, he added. Even without the official tree lighting, it will still look like Christmas in Saugus as DPW workers are putting up Christmas lighting and decorations around town, according to Crabtree. The number of COVID cases reported on Tuesday night was an increase of 55 in the five and an emotional connection to the classroom during a time that we know will be challenging for those children and families involved. We have been sharing remote learning options with students in advance of our first positive case in hopes that they will understand that this process is designed to keep everyone in our community safe, as opposed to assuming that they have contracted the virus. For more information on COVID-19 symptoms and testing, visit: https://www.mass. gov/info-details/about-covid19-testing#where-can-get-atest?-. You can also find a map of testing sites at https://memamaps.maps.arcgis.com/apps/ webappviewer/index.html?id=eba3f0395451430b9f631cb095febf13. Please contact us immediately should you or someone in your home begin to show symptoms. We are committed to continuous communication with and support of our families. If you have any additional questions or concerns, please contact Sandra Moynihan, RN at smoynihan@saugus.k12. ma.us. If there is additional transmission as a result of this case or a separate case, we will send out another message immediately. Thank you for your continued support. Sincerely, Dr. David DeRuosi Superintendent Saugus Public Schools days since last Thursday (Nov. 12), when the town reported going over the 1,000 mark with 104 new cases in a week. Like us on Facebook advocate newspaper Facebook.com/Advocate.news.ma SNOW BLOWER SALES, SERVICE & REPAIRS Pickup/Delivery Available 781-289-6466 www.eight10barandgrille.com We Have Reopened for Dine-In and Outside Seating every day beginning at 4 PM WE'RE OPEN! 8 Norwood Street, Everett (617) 387-9810 STAY SAFE!
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