Teacher Tests Positive For Coronavirus At Greenwich High School

GREENWICH, CT — A teacher at Greenwich High School tested positive for the coronavirus and the district is performing contact tracing so any students who may need to quarantine can be contacted promptly, according to district officials.

In a letter sent to families Tuesday evening, Superintendent Toni Jones and the district's head of nursing, Mary Keller, said the teacher had been self-quarantined since Friday evening and was not in the building this week. (To sign up for Greenwich breaking news alerts and more, click here.)

"However," the letter reads, "we were notified tonight that the teacher did test positive [for the virus], and our local health officials will conduct contact tracing Wednesday so that any students who may need to be quarantined can be contacted before our return [to school] on Thursday."

Additionally, Jones and Keller said a Greenwich High School student was sent home Tuesday after learning a family member had tested positive for the virus.

"The family member had been in quarantine since last week, and the student had no contact since that point," the letter reads. "Out of an abundance of caution, the student will quarantine for 14 days at home and will be tested. The student has not experienced any COVID-19 symptoms. We will keep you informed if the student’s test results should be positive and contact tracing would need to be initiated."

In "an effort to be proactive," Jones said the district began optional COVID-19 testing for staff last week. Approximately 50 staff members at the high school were tested Friday and all results were negative, Jones said.

"[The district] will remain vigilant in keeping our families informed as guided by our local health officials," the letter reads.

Students who chose in-person learning this year returned to school buildings in Greenwich last week. Under the district's reopening plan, high school students are using a hybrid model that mixes in-person and remote learning each week.

Prior to the start of school, district officials confirmed a few staff members had tested positive for the virus and needed to quarantine for 14 days before being permitted to return to school. A district spokesperson emphasized the staff members tested positive for the virus before returning to school and did not enter school buildings beforehand.