Public Health has confirmed that a person connected to Shannon Park Elementary has tested positive for COVID-19.

Public Health is now working to identify any students and staff who may have been in close contact with the confirmed case.

Out of an abundance of caution, and in consultation with Public Health, our school will be closed to students until at least Monday, December 14, to allow for a deep cleaning and time for Public Health to engage in contact tracing. For families with children in the EXCEL program, the program will operate today and then will close for the remainder of the week.

While the school is closed, our staff will support students to continue their learning. We will provide an update to families over the weekend.

When a COVID-19 case is identified in a school, the Halifax Regional Centre for Education takes direction from Public Health. Their team is now working to identify any students and staff who may have been in close contact with the confirmed case. If your child is identified as a close contact, Public Health will be communicating with you directly. If Public Health does not contact you, it is because your child is not considered a close contact and no further action is required.

Attached, is the general notification letter from Public Health. Also attached is a Nova Scotia Health Authority flow chart that illustrates how Public Health officials respond to reported cases of COVID-19 in a school community. It illustrates some of the very specific steps that Public Health follows, including the communication components.

We understand you may feel anxious over the coming days. It is natural to want to know if your child may have been exposed to the virus. Public Health officials will inform those who are at risk of the next steps, but to protect the privacy of students and staff, other details including names, will not be released.

Children and young people look to the adults in their lives to guide them on how to react to worrying and stressful events. I encouraged you to speak with your children about any anxieties and remind them that school is a safe place for them to be.

Please continue to monitor your child(ren) daily for signs or symptoms of COVID-19, using Nova Scotia’s daily checklist at: https://novascotia.ca/coronavirus/docs/Daily-COVID-checklist-en.pdf .

If your child(ren) has or develops signs or symptoms as described on the checklist, complete the COVID-19 self-assessment online at https://covid-self-assessment.novascotia.ca/en or call 811 if you are unable to access the online tool.

I would also encourage you to visit www.novascotia.ca/backtoschool where you can find information and resources for you and your family.

If you have any concerns or questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sherrial Maloney,
Principal