Dear Bulldog Families,

Recently an article in Cleveland.com was published that indicated our school district would remain in its current hybrid instructional model. That article created questions surrounding the district’s COVID dashboard and as a result, we wanted to further communicate with you to explain the reporting process and let you know that our dashboard reporting is accurate and current. 

OFCS reports confirmed COVID positive cases at the classroom, building and district levels in compliance with the State Health Director’s order issued on 9/3/2020. 

Item #4.a.: Written notification of a positive test or case shall be sent  to parents or guardians of all students who share a classroom space or have participated in a school activity during the COVID-19 infectious period of a student, teacher, staff member, or coach. 

The district works closely with the Cuyahoga County Board of Health (CCBoH) and follows their processes. In short, within 24 hours of the district receiving notice of the positive person being on campus during the infectious period, a notification is issued. CCBoH determines the infectious period. That period is typically 2 days prior to the first symptom, or administration of the positive test for an asymptomatic person; whichever date is earliest. 

Here is a typical scenario that we’ve dealt with:

• A Blue Group student attends classes on-campus November 2nd and 4th. This student begins to have symptoms on November 6th and is tested on November 7th. The test result is issued November 11th and the person notifies the district of the positive test on November 12.
• Working with the CCBoH it is determined that the infectious period began on November 4th (2 days prior to first symptom). 
• The Blue Group student was on campus November 4th so the district issued the classroom and building-wide notices on November 13 (within 24 hours of receiving the positive notice).  Note: If you have a student who receives a classroom/activity specific notification due to being in class or in an activity with a positive individual, you would receive the classroom specific notification from the building followed by the building-wide notification from the district.  This means families may, at times, receive two levels of notifications regarding the same single positive case. 
• This case is recorded on the district’s COVID dashboard for November 4th because that is the date that triggered the notice.
• The date of the notice is within 24 hours of the district being alerted to the confirmed positive case. 

To increase clarity, beginning with the week of November 9th the district will maintain two weeks of daily details before moving data to the Archive of Confirmed Cases tab. In addition, future notices will include the infectious date that will be recorded on the dashboard.  

If you have additional questions at any time please contact the district COVID-19 coordinator, our Director of Human Resources and Nursing Services Supervisor, James J. Tatman at jtatman@ofcs.net or 440-427-6000. 

Thank you, 

Dr. Jim Lloyd

Superintendent for the Olmsted Falls City School District

26937 Bagley Rd.

Olmsted Township, OH 44138

Phone: 440-427-6000

Twitter: @OFCSSuper

Web: www.ofcs.net