JQA Elementary Staff Member Confirmed To Have Coronavirus

DEER PARK, NY — The Deer Park School District announced last week that a staff member at John Quincy Adams Primary School tested positive for the coronavirus. In a letter to the community, Superintendent James Cummings stated he could not provide additional information on the individual due to privacy laws. This is the second case reported in the district. Last week an employee at Deer Park High School also tested positive for the virus.

Deer Park students have not been in school since March 13. Two days later, Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone announced that all public and private K-12 schools in Suffolk County have been ordered to close for two weeks.

"We are all dealing with an unprecedented and challenging situation, and I anticipate we have some long days and weeks ahead, but we have an amazing community and we will get through this together," Cummings wrote in the letter.

After receiving a positive test, the Suffolk County Department of Health will conduct an investigation and contact anyone identified as being in close contact with the employee.

In the letter, Cummings also urges parents and residents to help stop spread the virus by following social distancing guidelines.

"While these restrictions continue to ramp up, I can only implore you to take the restrictions seriously," he wrote. "I have 4 children of my own, so I understand the challenges you are all facing, but we need to work together to slow the spread of this virus."