Freedom High School Staff Member Tests Positive For Coronavirus

LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA — A Loudoun County Public Schools staff member at Freedom High School in the Chantilly area of the county has tested positive for the new coronavirus, or COVID-19. The staff member is self-isolating while they recuperate, Loudoun Schools Superintendent Eric Williams said Saturday in a letter to the school community.

The staff member last worked at Freedom High School on March 26.

Loudoun County has 296 reported positive cases of the coronavirus as of Saturday. More than a dozen of the reported cases have been Loudoun County Public Schools staffers. The one reported death in Loudoun County was a long-time school teacher who was working at Liberty and Pinebrook elementary schools when she became sick.

When notified that an LCPS employee has tested positive for COVID-19, the Loudoun County Health Department determines the need and extent of a contact investigation in accordance with Virginia Deaprtment of Health policies and takes action accordingly, Williams said. If it decides to conduct an investigation, the health department reaches out to all "close contacts."

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The Virginia Department of Health defines “close contacts” as people who have been within six feet of a person who tests positive for the virus, for 10 minutes or more, starting from 48 hours before symptom onset.

Beginning Wednesday, Loudoun County Public Schools teachers will provide distance learning for their students. Grades 3-12 teachers will provide synchronous and asynchronous learning opportunities through Google Classroom.

K-2 teachers will have the flexibility to provide optional synchronous learning opportunities as well as offline learning opportunities through ParentVue or other forms of communication previously established with their students' families.

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