INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- Independence Local Schools learned Sunday (Oct. 25) that a middle school staffer had tested positive for COVID-19. An unrelated pair of cases at the primary school recently sent third-graders into remote learning until Nov. 5, though to date, no in-school transmission has been discovered.
Contact tracing at the middle school led to just a handful of staff and fifth-grade students needing to quarantine. All grade levels at the school will continue to offer in-person learning for now.
The middle school had its first confirmed case, a football player, in late September. Contact tracing through the Cuyahoga County Board of Health resulted in more than 40 eighth-grade students and a pair of teachers entering two-week quarantine then.
With an eighth-grade class of less than 100, the decision to place the entire grade level in a remote-learning environment involved safety concerns, as well as the need to ensure effective instruction for all students.
The two cases that resulted in fully remote learning for third-graders involved staff members in neighboring classrooms, though the infections appear to be unrelated.
“Through contact tracing, we did not see any connection,” said Superintendent Ben Hegedish, though the odd circumstances led the superintendent to “err on the side of caution.”
The cautious approach to in-person learning has served the district well so far. Hegedish, the father of three, said he frames decisions involving in-person learning with thoughts of his own children in mind.
“We’re going to push it in terms of getting kids in, but as soon as we see something that deals with infections, we are going to respond very rapidly,” he said.
As other districts have approached Hegedish for advice about a return to in-person learning at a time that is less than propitious, the superintendent feels vindicated about his district’s early September return to the classroom.
“It’s proving to be the right decision,” he said.
Hegedish attributes the lack of in-school transmission to a layered approach involving masks, social distancing, stepped-up cleaning and sanitizing regimens, the utilization of outdoor areas and large spaces, and the addition of ionization and ultraviolet technologies to HVAC units.
Community spread in the small city, monitored weekly by the district, has also remained low.
Hegedish credits Tom Dreiling, assistant superintendent, with creating a detailed approach to in-person learning in the age of COVID-19. Dreiling began researching and studying various directives, many of which changed nearly daily, from the Cuyahoga County Board of Health, the CDC, Cleveland Clinic and other organizations in early summer.
Dreiling then worked to ensure safe practices among not only teachers, students and administrators, but also coaches, custodians, drivers and vendors.
“Tom has just become our local expert on that,” commented Hegedish. “He has a total commitment to health and safety.”
In addition, Hegedish said the district task force and three separate steering committees, one for each school, created a shared dedication to forge ahead with in-person learning while minimizing risks and remaining prepared for an abrupt return to virtual learning.
Hegedish remarked previously that “one bad phone call” could result in a decision to go entirely remote the very next day, though he is satisfied that the district has now laid a solid foundation that will ensure successful educational efforts should virtual learning suddenly become a reality.
The first quarter ends Friday (Oct. 30), and it is possible that school buildings will remain open beyond then, though such a scenario could be undermined by spread of the virus in Cuyahoga County.
According to Hegedish, if Cuyahoga County moves to Level 4 (purple) on the Ohio Public Health Advisory System, the district will go fully remote. A work session to discuss potential scenarios and the path forward takes place at 6 p.m. Wednesday (Oct. 28).
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