Here's How Milford Schools Will Report Coronavirus Cases

MILFORD, CT — Superintendent of Schools Anna M. Cutaia unveiled the policy and steps the school system will take to inform parents and the community if there is a positive COVID-19 test in one of its schools.

To date there has been one confirmed coronavirus case involving the schools and that was at Jonathan Law High School.

Cutaia wrote:

Dear Milford Public Schools Staff, Parents/Guardians, and Students,

Although the Milford Public School district has implemented copious safeguards and measures
to support the safety and health of students and staff, we are prepared to deal with confirmed
COVID-19 cases in our school community.

I am writing to you today to share the process we will follow in notifying staff members and families if/when a suspected or confirmed COVID-19 case appears. Please review the information provided below so you know how a case is confirmed and what the notification process will be.

1. A staff member, parent, or student notifies the Principal, School Nurse, or Milford Health
Department that a possible COVID-19 case has appeared. This may be the result of a person presenting with symptoms, or the result of a positive COVID-19 test result.

2. The Milford Health Department then determines the classification of exposure (please see the COVID-19 Contact Tracing and Quarantine Guidelines Chart, as provided by the Milford Health Department). Cases will be classified as A, B, C, or D. The MHD will officially notify the Milford Public Schools of the case type, classification, and contact tracing detail as it applies to the Milford Public Schools community.

3. Given the type of exposure, the Milford Public Schools will deploy an appropriate response within a school building. This may result in the isolation or quarantine of the individual, the classroom, a particular wing, or in larger contact cases, the closure of the entire school.

4. If a confirmed positive COVID-19 case is identified in the school community (i.e. student or staff member), the school will send out notification as appropriate.

5. If an interruption in In-Person Classroom instruction is needed, the affected segment will need to convert to full Distance Learning.

6. We will notify all involved families/staff members of a change in educational delivery via
SchoolMessenger.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, we have taken every step possible to be transparent and
forthcoming with all of our stakeholders: students, staff, parents/families, and members of the
community at-large.

Our partnership with the Milford Health Department and with City Officials has been robust, authentic, and we continue to work together toward our top priority of keeping everyone in our community safe and healthy.

In closing, please know we recognize that ‘news’ of COVID-19 related activity, particularly on
social media, is sometimes irresistible and hard to ignore. Please remember, however, that the
Milford Public Schools must be considered as the official source of information, as we
consistently work to authenticate and clarify information that is ultimately shared with you.

If you have any questions, please contact your school principal or your school nurse for
additional information.

As always, we thank you for your patience and your support.

Be well,
Anna M. Cutaia, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools