A student at South Meadows Middle-School in the Hillsboro District has tested positive for COVID-19.
This comes on the same day Oregon Gov. Kate Brown officially declares a state of emergency.
In a letter sent to parents of students that attend school in the Hillsboro District yesterday, Superintendant Mike Scott announced that a single student has tested positive for coronavirus, and urges parents to monitor their children and employ commonly mentioned cleanliness rituals.
Hillsboro School District
“Updated guidance from the Oregon Health Authority and Washington County Public Health is that because COVID-19 is in the community, closing a school may not be an effective method of stopping the spread of the virus,” writes Scott in an FAQ.
“There is concern that people would not actually remain in their homes for 14 days, and in the case of children, depending on who their caregiver is, having them home may put that person at greater risk of contracting the virus.”
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In addition, Scott said that “Our schools are not only places where learning can continue, but where our students can be supported, supervised, and fed, which is a necessity for many families.”
The Hillsboro School District held a brief press conference to provide information on the positive case, and the district’s current plan of action.
Scott says that the district hired an independent contractor to clean and sanitize the school prior to its opening on Monday, as well as continue to wash and sanitize their buses on a daily basis.
With the declared state of emergency on Sunday, the state of Oregon now plays host to 14 confirmed cases of coronavirus, and that number may still climb as more tests are shipped to local health authorities.
“We encourage our students to come to school, because every day matters. Of course, parents will make their own decisions on whether they send their kids to school,” added Scott.
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