High School Student Among Positive COVID-19 Cases Within District

WEST ISLIP, NY — Multiple coronavirus cases were reported within the West Islip School District, according the New York State school COVID-19 report card. According to the website, as of Wednesday there were three cases of the coronavirus within West Islip High School, two "off-site" students and one "on-site" student. In addition, there were six lab reported positive cases based on residential address.

On Sept. 22, Superintendent Bernadette Burns sent a letter to the community informing that a high school student tested positive for the coronavirus. According to Burns, the student was last in the school building on Sept. 18.

"Unless circumstances require a different approach, the high school will continue to follow the current hybrid schedule," Burns wrote in the letter.

School officials notified the Suffolk County Department of Health Services (DHS) of the case and health officials conducted contact tracing. The student and others closed to that student were asked to quarantine and told they could not return to the high school until they are released by the Department of Health.

"We share this information with you as part of our ongoing efforts to keep the community informed of COVID-related issues that affect the school environment," Burns wrote in the letter. "However, we must respect the laws relating to the privacy of our students and staff, and therefore will not provide any additional details."

According to school officials, the two other positive cases involved individuals who had not been in school since the time of the first case, and therefore were not considered "on-site" cases which require further notification.