Quaker Valley School Board, parents respond to coronavirus cases in district
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Two buildings at Quaker Valley School District have closed until Nov. 2 after officials discovered an outbreak of covid-19 last week.
As of Oct. 21, the district reported 10 cases at Quaker Valley High School and five at Quaker Valley Middle School. The district has not said whether positive cases are students or staff.
According to the state Department of Education and Allegheny Health Department guidelines, school buildings must close for 14 days if they have two to four covid-19 cases.
The school buildings will return to the district’s hybrid learning model Nov. 2.
School officials took the first 22 minutes of the school board’s meeting Oct. 20 to read statements regarding the situation. Superintendent Tammy Andreyko said officials discovered there were two positive cases — one in the middle school and another in the high school — on Oct. 15.
By Oct. 16, a Friday, the district discovered additional cases and decided to cancel that night’s football game against Keystone Oaks.
Andreyko said the district decided to close both the middle and high school buildings on Oct. 17. Also over that weekend, district officials sent out letters to families and developed a covid-19 tracker on its website.
The tracker lists active covid-19 cases by building, includes the number of people currently under quarantine — 133, as of Oct. 21 — and resolved cases by building. Click here to view the tracker.
Assistant superintendent Andrew Surloff, who is also the district’s pandemic coordinator, explained the reasons behind the district’s decision to close the buildings, which was based on PDE and Allegheny Health Department guidance. He also said protecting the privacy of the individuals who have tested positive for the virus is of utmost importance.
To close, he issued a reminder.
“In the midst of this pandemic, it is imperative that we never lose sight of the fact that covid is our enemy. The virus is our foe,” Surloff said. “Any of us is susceptible to contracting this illness, and none of us are immune. Those who contract covid-19 are our friends, neighbors, classmates and loved ones. There is nothing good that comes from bullying, shaming or blaming anyone who tests positive.”
He then suggested people stay off social media if the only intent is to do harm to others.
“You can be angry and upset without choosing to be cruel,” he said.
Parents nevertheless shared criticisms during the meeting about how the school has handled the outbreak.
Addie Sochats of Bell Acres resented the notion that people were being cruel on social media.
“The fact that parents are turning to social media to get answers and reassurance from the community outlines the lack of communication and uncertainty being felt,” she said, adding a breakdown of cases by school and grade is not a violation of HIPPA.
“Quite frankly, I don’t get any feeling that anyone wants to ‘out’ any particular child or family. Instead, it would allay any fears being experienced by parents and allow those parents to make determinations based on their particular situations.”
Lauren Burns, of Sewickley Heights, said the school district has lacked transparency in who might have come in contact with people who tested positive.
“My concerns lie in that these confirmed cases at the middle school and high school are a concern not only for Quaker Valley School District, but for the Sewickley community at large,” Burns said. “I believe the district has a responsibility to the public health of all of Quaker Valley.”
She recommended the district offer updates on social media sites when they are necessary, further extending the information to people who might not have children enrolled in the schools. She also wanted the district to break down the positive cases by student or staff member and grade level.
Holly Teegarden of Leet asked if the district’s covid-19 tracker could display the school building in which those quarantined belong. She also wondered if the district would punish parents who let their covid-19-positive children attend school or play sports. She also asked how many people must be sickened with the virus at the elementary schools before they are closed.
The parents’ concerns and questions were left unanswered by school officials.
Andreyko said parents would be receiving daily emailed updates on the district’s situation.