Bacterial Meningitis Hits Heights Teacher: Schools Respond

CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OH — A Heights Middle School teacher was diagnosed with bacterial meningitis over the district's winter break. The district believes the teacher contracted the infection outside of school, Talisa Dixon, Cleveland Heights-University Heights Superintendent said in a letter to families.

Heights Middle School is being "thoroughly cleaned and disinfected," Dixon said. Staffers will be using the Clorox 360 disinfectant system at the middle school during the break.

"This new system uses electrostatic technology to deliver Clorox disinfectants on high-traffic and hard-to-reach surfaces, killing bacteria and viruses in minutes," Dixon said. She added that the length of the holiday break should ensure a safe, healthy environment for students and teachers.

The strand of bacterial meningitis contracted by the middle school teacher does not require an enhanced response by the district, Dixon said.

A substitute teacher will be taking the place of the staffer that is out with bacterial meningitis.

Beat to the Punch

Dixon also responded to media breaking the story on the bacterial meningitis case, assuring families that while the district didn't immediately communicate the incident, they were working behind the scenes.

"We want to assure our community that we responded immediately to this situation while protecting the privacy of the staff member and their family," she said.

News of a teacher contracting bacterial meningitis first broke earlier this week.

"District leadership has been in regular communication with the family to provide support and with medical staff to seek guidance on the appropriate information to share with our school community. If the District had been directed to contact any specific students or staff members, we would have done so immediately. Thankfully, this was not the case," Dixon said.

Classes resume Monday in the Cleveland Heights-University Heights School district.

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