Loudoun School Staffer Medically Cleared To Return To Work

LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA — Loudoun County Public Schools is reporting some good news. A staff member at Park View High School in Sterling Park who tested positive for the coronavirus on March 28 has recovered and was medically cleared to return to work on April 7, Loudoun County Public Schools Superintendent Eric Williams wrote in a note Thursday to the school community.

The Park View High School staff member self-isolated while recuperating from the coronavirus after receiving the positive test result.

This is the first staff member that Loudoun County Public Schools has reported to have recovered from the coronavirus and returned to work. Nearly 20 Loudoun school staff members have tested positive for the coronavirus.

Loudoun County Public Schools teachers began distance education with their students this week. Grades 3-12 teachers are provided 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.

When provided a report of an LCPS employee who tests positive for the coronavirus, the Loudoun County Health Department determines the need and extent of a contact investigation. When the health department conducts contact investigations, its practice is to reach out to all "close contacts" of people who have tested positive.

The Virginia Department of Health now 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.

In Loudoun County, 385 people have tested positive for the coronavirus as of Friday. The county has seven reported deaths, according to Virginia Department of Health Data.

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One of the seven reported deaths was a long-time elementary school teacher in Loudoun. Susan Rokus, who died last month, was working at Liberty and Pinebrook elementary schools in Loudoun County when she became sick.

In his note, Williams encouraged LCPS students, parents and staff members to continue to adhere to CDC preventive measures and guidance. Residents should follow Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam's stay-at-home order "to the fullest extent possible, limiting trips away from home to only essential outings as part of our community care initiative to prevent the further spread of the COVID-19 virus," the superintendent wrote.

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