Tongass School of Arts and Sciences

Positive COVID-19 Case reported at TSAS Fairview

TSAS Fairview Closure for 24 hours - NO SCHOOL Wednesday December 16th

December 15, 2020

Dear Tongass School Staff and Families,

 Today, we were notified that a member of the Tongass School family tested positive for COVID-19. This individual self-isolated after experiencing mild symptoms, immediately sought testing, and notified us upon receiving results. Contact tracing is now taking place by Public Health. Although the person was not in the school facility this week, we are closing the Fairview/Assembly of God annex facility for 24 hours on Wednesday December 16th to allow for contact tracing and to implement our additional sanitation measures tonight. We expect to resume on-site operations on Thursday, December 17th.

We are working closely with Ketchikan Public Health and Ketchikan EOC to respond to this news and protect the health of our community by taking the following steps:

• Tongass School’s Fairview Annex at the First Assembly of God location will be closed for 24 hours. Tongass School’s main facility will remain open. Annex staff and students will be notified when it is all clear to return to school.

• The school and any affected areas will be cleaned and sanitized before staff or students return.

• All students and staff who have been in close contact with the person who tested positive will be contacted by Public Health. The affected class or classes may be asked to quarantine by the school in order to provide time for Public Health to complete contact tracing. Any student or staff who is considered a contact will need to comply with the guidance provided by Public Health. 

• If you are not contacted by Public Health or the School District indicating a need to quarantine, your child is free to return to school.

• According to the Alaska Smart Start 2020 guidance, whether or not a school building or classroom needs to close for a 14-day quarantine will depend on how many students and staff are affected. In this case, we do not expect the need for a prolonged school closure.

• The school community will be contacted through School Messenger if any further actions are needed.  

COVID Safety

• We continue to encourage all parents to take their students' temperatures and monitor students closely for any signs of potential illness.

• Students should remain at home if they have any symptoms of COVID-19, including: fever (defined as temperature over 100.3F), new or persistent cough, new trouble breathing or shortness of breath, chills, night sweats, sore throat, body aches, muscle aches, joint pain, headache, loss of taste or smell, fatigue, confusion, and/or stomach issues (diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain).

• Check this website for information about local testing sites.  

The best way to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is by wearing a face mask, physical distancing, and practicing good health hygiene. Be sure to wash your hands frequently with soap and warm water, cover your coughs and sneezes, and avoid contact with people who have signs of illness. Isolate and seek testing should you experience any symptoms. 

We will keep you updated with any new information as it comes out, while meeting the requirements to protect everyone’s right to privacy.

More information can be found on these websites:

• Ketchikan Gateway Borough School District

• Alaska Department of Education & Early Development Alaska Smart State 2020

• Alaska Department of Health and Social Services Back to School Health Information

If you have further questions, please call the school district main line: 907-225-2118 or email me at: scott.huff@k21schools.org

Sincerely, 

Scott Huff, Principal

Tongass School of Arts and Sciences | Tongassschool.org | 410 Schoenbar Road
Ketchikan, AK 99901 | Phone: (907) 225-5720 | EMAIL: learn@tongassschool.org