ATHOL – Athol-Royalston Regional School District Superintendent Darcy Fernandes sent a letter this week to the district network informing families and that two workers in the Athol Community Elementary School cafeteria tested positive for COVID-19.
In the letter, Fernandes stated that the search for contacts had begun and that construction remained closed pending a “deep clean-up”.
The district’s summer lunch program, which operated from school, ended Friday as planned.
Mary Grutchfield, president of the Athol Teachers Association (ATA), said she understood that all workers in the district cafeteria had been quarantined and that the five number one school guards had been told to stay in the house until further notice. In addition to teachers, the arrangement represents janitors, paraprofessionals and staff.
He said he thinks Fernandes’ reaction is inadequate.
Grutchfield explained that at least one of the affected cafeteria paintings is connected to a couple of district guards, with whom he socializes, and that there is a circle of family ties between the other caregivers and cafeteria staff. In addition, he said, while guards usually paint only at the school to which they are assigned, they have all painted, at one time or another during the summer, in each of the district’s 4 schools, adding the Athol Community Elementary School. . Grutchfield said she was involved in the fact that all detention personnel would possibly have been exposed to the virus.
She said the union asked management to take several steps in response to infections.
“Requerimos que todos los guardias sean puestos en cuarentena, o al menos que permanezcan en casa hasta que obtengan una directiva de la junta de acondicionamiento físico”, agregó Grutchfield. “We also call that all ATA members who have been in construction since July 1 be quarantined for at least two weeks without loss of payment. In addition, all members are presented with the COVID-19 check at no cost to them, and that no members return to construction unless and until there are no instances of COVID-19 among those hired in the district.
Grutchfield said the guards had been asked to “spray” the construction with a disinfectant, even though they had never been trained on the team. One, he said, ended up soaked with a chlorinated solution. The union therefore called on the guards to prevent and avoid spraying until they have obtained proper training.
In an email exchange, Fernandes told the Athol Daily News that the district “follows the instructions of the Department of Public Health.”
In reaction to the union’s requests, the superintendent said, “The district follows the rules we were given through the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (state).” He added that the district will provide evidence for staff.
When asked if the incident could lead him to reconsider the school board’s resolution of opening the school next month by giving parents the option to send their children to district schools full-time or enroll them in full-time distance learning, Fernandes said, “The district will follow the demands of families.”
She concluded by saying: “The cafeteria staff at the Athol-Royalston Regional School District painted on the front lines to feed young people throughout the district without hesitation. They began painting on Tuesdays after the school closed in March. I respect the paintings that our frontline staff throughout the United States deserves to be congratulated.
But Grutchfield was not satisfied with Fernandes’ response.
“She writes at the end of her letter to families and that protection is her biggest concern,” she said. “But is it really? Well, I’m not sure. When I contact her, all she says is that she will stick to the recommendation of the fitness board.”
Athol’s fitness worker, Deb Vondal, said she contacted the superintendent late Tuesday afternoon and reported that two food service workers had tested positive.
“The next morning,” Vondal said, “provided a list of other people who may potentially be close contacts. So, immediately, I contacted my public fitness nurse, who works through MPHN (Montachusett Public Health Network) and gave him the list. We had a clever start, because of the positive cases, the nurses are still reviewing Maven, the site to track any infectious disease, but it is used for COVID at this time.”
He said that, fortunately, one of the inflameds contacted the school district administration. Those who were potentially close contacts were quarantined, Vondal said.
“There’s a very small display window,” he said. “Other HIV-positive people have become ill over the weekend. When a user expands symptoms, they are contagious for 48 hours before symptoms expand. So, literally, they were only in school one day. So the guards are involved: and I’ve heard this fear – they’re not known as close contacts. To be careful, because everyone is worried, they were told to stay home this week. But for the time being, guards are not considered close contacts.
Vondal was adamant in reminding the public of the fitness rules: “You wear your mask if necessary. You stay at a distance of 6 feet. You wash your hands. And you stay home when you’re not feeling well. People will have to do it.” I also have a non-public responsibility. These are the rules for everyone, not just at Athol but across the state. If everyone follows these rules, I hope there are no more positive instances that result.
Thank you for your Athol Daily News.