Merrick Avenue Middle school staff member tests positive for Covid-19

Posted

Days before the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District was set to reopen school buildings to a hybird learning model, the Nassau County Health Department determined that a staff member at Merrick Avenue Middle School has tested positive for Covid-19.

School officials were notified of the positive case Wednesday afternoon, according to a letter from Superintendent John DeTommaso and MAMS Principal Katelyn Dunn, and, as a result of the diagnosis, the health department conducted and completed "a full investigation, which included contact tracing."

"This investigation determined that only one additional staff member was considered a close contact — which is defined as within six feet [of the infected person] for a prolonged period of time for 10 minutes or more — and that there were no additional exposures to students and staff," the letter read.

The staff member who tested positive will not be allowed to return to school for 10 days, according to the letter, and will only return to work after a negative test result has been provided to the district. Additionally, the staff member who had close contact with the infected individual will be required to quarantine for 14 days.  

Faculty and staff meetings within the district are proceeding as scheduled.

"We will continue to work closely with the Commissioner of Health and the Nassau County Health Department and take all necessary precautions to ensure the health and safety of our school community prior to the opening of school next week," the administrators said. "As always, the health and safety of our students and staff is our foremost priority."