Communication: COVID-19 Positive Cases

Dear CV High School Families, 

Today, December 1, 2020, the Cumberland Valley School District administration was notified of two positive cases of COVID-19 involving CV High School students, both in Group B. The students were last present in the building on November 19, 2020, and subsequently tested positive.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health, together with Cumberland Valley School District, will lead the contact tracing investigation. Individuals identified as close contacts will be contacted by PA DoH and/or Cumberland Valley administration by the end of the day tomorrow, December 2, 2020. If an individual is not contacted by PA DoH and/or CV, the individual is not considered to be a close contact. Please be aware that Cumberland Valley School District has multiple employees who are certified contact tracers.

• Close contact is defined by the CDC as anyone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes starting from 48 hours before the person began feeling sick until the time the patient was isolated.

• Any student or staff member identified as a close contact will be notified by the Cumberland Valley administration or PA DoH and will be required to quarantine for 14 days from their last possible day of exposure.

We will continue to closely monitor this situation and will provide additional information as needed. If you have questions, please contact your child’s school office or building principal.

As always, we sincerely appreciate your continued support and understanding.

David E. Christopher, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

Dear Shaull Elementary School Families, 

Today, December 1, 2020, the Cumberland Valley School District administration was notified of a positive case of COVID-19 involving a Shaull staff member. The staff member was last present in the building on November 24, 2020, and subsequently tested positive.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health, together with Cumberland Valley School District, will lead the contact tracing investigation. Individuals identified as close contacts will be contacted by PA DoH and/or Cumberland Valley administration by the end of the day tomorrow, December 2, 2020. If an individual is not contacted by PA DoH and/or CV, the individual is not considered to be a close contact. Please be aware that Cumberland Valley School District has multiple employees who are certified contact tracers.

• Close contact is defined by the CDC as anyone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes starting from 48 hours before the person began feeling sick until the time the patient was isolated.

• Any student or staff member identified as a close contact will be notified by the Cumberland Valley administration or PA DoH and will be required to quarantine for 14 days from their last possible day of exposure.

We will continue to closely monitor this situation and will provide additional information as needed. If you have questions, please contact your child’s school office or building principal.

As always, we sincerely appreciate your continued support and understanding.

David E. Christopher, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

Dear CV Families,

Recent reports indicate that surface temperature thermometers, like those that we use to take student temperatures each morning, are not effective when used outdoors, especially when the air is cooler. Additionally, the Centers for Disease Control has indicated that temperature checks are not a reliable predictor of COVID-19. You may view CDC school screening considerations by clicking here.

As a result, we will no longer perform temperature checks as students enter our school buildings. We will, however, continue to be vigilant in monitoring students at school for onset of symptoms, in addition to providing regular reminders about the importance of safe physical distancing, face coverings, regular hand washing, and proper hygiene.

We would ask that on the days your child attends school face-to-face, you also continue to complete our Eagles Wellness Checklist prior to your child boarding a bus or entering school for the day. If your child exhibits any of the symptoms on the checklist, they should not attend school that day. You may view the wellness checklist by clicking here.

As always, we sincerely appreciate your partnership with us to ensure the health and safety of all of our students and staff. Please do not hesitate to reach out to your child’s building principal should you have any questions.

Thank you,

David E. Christopher, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

Dear Sporting Hill Elementary School Families, 

Today, November 30, 2020, the Cumberland Valley School District administration was notified of two positive cases of COVID-19, one involving a Sporting Hill Elementary School student and another involving a Sporting Hill staff member. The student was last present in the building on November 24, 2020, and the staff member on November 19, 2020. Both subsequently tested positive.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health, together with Cumberland Valley School District, will lead the contact tracing investigation. No close contacts have been identified in the case involving a staff member. Individuals identified as close contacts to the student case have been notified by District administration. If an individual is not contacted by PA DoH and/or CV, the individual is not considered to be a close contact. Please be aware that Cumberland Valley School District has multiple employees who are certified contact tracers.

• Close contact is defined by the CDC as anyone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes starting from 48 hours before the person began feeling sick until the time the patient was isolated.

• Any student or staff member identified as a close contact will be required to quarantine for 14 days from their last possible day of exposure.

We will continue to closely monitor this situation and will provide additional information as needed. If you have questions, please contact your child’s school office or building principal.

As always, we sincerely appreciate your continued support and understanding.

David E. Christopher, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

Dear Cumberland Valley families,

As we prepare to return to school tomorrow, we want to write this brief note to you to ask for your help. To be blunt, daily cases of COVID-19 are at an all-time high, and we are reaching a critical tipping point in our ability to maintain effective face-to-face programming.

We have said from the start of the school year that our goal is to not only open, but to remain open. To do this, we need your help. 

Now, more than ever, we must come together as a school community. We implore you to please continue to be vigilant about following Centers for Disease Control and Pennsylvania Department of Health guidelines. Practice social distancing. Wear face coverings when appropriate. Wash your hands regularly. Avoid gatherings outside of those in which you share a home. Limit travel, but if you must, be sure to follow DoH travel restrictions that are currently in place.

We know that the best way to educate (y)our children is in our schools. We miss them when they are not with us. But if we cannot effectively mitigate the number cases of COVID-19, we will be left with no choice but to transition to fully online learning across the District. 

Currently, all school buildings except Mountain View Middle School, Silver Spring Elementary School, and Shaull Elementary School will be back face-to-face (hybrid in grade 6-12) tomorrow. Both Silver Spring Elementary and Shaull Elementary are considered small (less than 500 student) buildings and therefore have lower thresholds for closure than our larger schools, including Mountain View. Complete information about the closure guidelines can be found on the PA Department of Education’s website.  

The current number of positive and presumptive positive cases in each building for the past 14 days and the school’s current operating status can be found in the chart below:

* Note: We are unable to adequately staff Shaull or Mountain View for face-to-face instruction due to the number of staff who are currently quarantining due to symptoms or exposure to COVID-19.

Continue to monitor your child daily for illness and keep them home should they display any symptoms. Additionally, as a friendly reminder, please use our COVID-19 student reporting form to notify us should your child test positive. 

Please follow the guidance as issued by state health officials so that our students can remain in school.

With sincere appreciation,

David E. Christopher, Ed.D.
Superintendent

Dear Mountain View Families,

Today, November 30, 2020, the Cumberland Valley School District administration was notified of a positive case of COVID-19 involving a Mountain View Middle School student. The student was last present in the building on November 17, 2020, and subsequently tested positive. 

In addition, we have another Mountain View staff member who is presumed positive and numerous other staff members who are required to quarantine due to COVID-19 exposure or symptoms.  

Due to the number of cases that have affected the building, our inability to fully staff the school for face-to-face instruction, and the new guidance from the PA DOH related to addressing cases of COVID-19 in Pennsylvania schools, we will close Mountain View Middle School for face-to- face instruction for four days - from Tuesday, December 1, 2020, through Friday, December 4, 2020. This will allow for the building to be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected, even beyond the regular and extensive cleanings that already occur daily, and to ensure we can adequately contact trace any and all close contacts to the students. 

Beginning on Tuesday, December 1, 2020, Mountain View students will transition to remote learning only for the four-day closure. Teachers will communicate directly with families regarding educational activities during the closure. It is anticipated that Mountain View will reopen for students for face-to-face instruction on Monday, December 7, 2020.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health, together with Cumberland Valley School District, will lead the contact tracing investigation. Individuals identified as close contacts will be contacted by PA DoH and/or Cumberland Valley administration by tomorrow evening, December 1, 2020. If an individual is not contacted by PA DoH and/or CV, the individual is not considered to be a close contact. Please be aware that Cumberland Valley School District has multiple employees who are certified contact tracers. 

• Close contact is defined by the CDC as anyone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total time of 15 minutes starting from 48 hours before the person began feeling sick until the time the patient was isolated.

• Students/Staff who are notified by the Cumberland Valley administration or PA DoH that they were a close contact will be required to quarantine for 14 days from their last possible day of exposure.

Please know that we sincerely understand that this message may cause some concern. Remain assured that we will continue to closely monitor this situation and will provide additional information as needed. If you have questions, please contact the school office or your child’s building principal.

As always, we sincerely appreciate your continued support and understanding.

David E. Christopher, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

Dear Shaull Elementary School Families, 

Shaull Elementary School currently has a number of staff members who have been exposed outside of the school setting to individuals who are positive for COVID-19, in addition to at least one individual in our school community awaiting test results, and one who is considered a presumptive positive case. As a result, we are unable to adequately staff the building for face-to-face instruction for students this week.

Out of an abundance of care and caution, we will close Shaull Elementary School for four days - Tuesday, December 1, 2020, through Friday, December 4, 2020.  Beginning tomorrow, Shaull students will transition to remote learning only for the four-day closure. Teachers will communicate directly with families regarding educational activities during the closure. It is anticipated that Shaull will reopen for students on Monday, December 7, 2020.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health, together with Cumberland Valley School District, will lead the contact tracing investigation. Individuals identified as close contacts will be contacted by PA DoH and/or Cumberland Valley administration. If an individual is not contacted by PA DoH and/or CV, the individual is not considered to be a close contact. Please be aware that Cumberland Valley School District has multiple employees who are certified contract tracers.

• Close contact is defined by the CDC as anyone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total time of 15 minutes starting from 48 hours before the person began feeling sick until the time the patient was isolated.

• Students/Staff who are notified by the Cumberland Valley administration or PA DoH that they were a close contact will be required to quarantine for 14 days from their last possible day of exposure.

Please know that we sincerely understand that this message may cause some concern. Remain assured that we will continue to closely monitor this situation and will provide additional information as needed. If you have questions, please contact your child’s school office.

As always, we sincerely appreciate your continued support and understanding.

David E. Christopher, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

Dear Green Ridge Elementary School Families, 

Today, November 30, 2020, the Cumberland Valley School District administration was notified of a positive case of COVID-19 involving a Green Ridge Elementary School staff member. The employee was last present in the building on November 19, 2020, and subsequently tested positive.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health, together with Cumberland Valley School District, will lead the contact tracing investigation. Any individual identified as a close contact will be notified by this evening, November 30, 2020. If an individual is not contacted by PA DoH and/or CV, the individual is not considered to be a close contact. Please be aware that Cumberland Valley School District has multiple employees who are certified contract tracers.

• Close contact is defined by the CDC as anyone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes starting from 48 hours before the person began feeling sick until the time the patient was isolated.

• Any student or staff member identified as a close contact will be required to quarantine for 14 days from their last possible day of exposure..

We will continue to closely monitor this situation and will provide additional information as needed. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact the school office.

As always, we sincerely appreciate your continued support and understanding.

David E. Christopher, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

Dear Silver Spring Elementary School Families, 

In the past 14 days, Silver Spring Elementary School has had four identified cases of COVID-19. Currently, additional staff who were close contacts to a positive case are also symptomatic and awaiting testing results. 

Due to the number of cases that have affected the building and the new guidance from the PA DOH related to addressing cases of COVID-19 in Pennsylvania schools, we have made the decision to extend Silver Spring’s building closure through the end of this week. Silver Spring students will continue remote learning only through Friday, December 4, 2020, with an anticipated return to face-to-face instruction on Monday, December 7, 2020. Additionally, we will also ensure the building is thoroughly cleaned and disinfected, even beyond the regular and extensive cleanings that already occur daily. 

Teachers will communicate directly with families regarding educational activities during this week’s building closure.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health, together with Cumberland Valley School District, led the contact tracing investigation and any additional individuals identified as close contacts have already been notified. If an individual is not contacted by PA DoH and/or CV, the individual is not considered to be a close contact. Please be aware that Cumberland Valley School District has multiple employees who are certified contact tracers.

• Close contact is defined by the CDC as anyone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total time of 15 minutes starting from 48 hours before the person began feeling sick until the time the patient was isolated.

• Students/staff who are notified by the Cumberland Valley administration or PA DoH that they were a close contact will be required to quarantine for 14 days from their last possible day of exposure.

We have said from the start of the school year that our goal is to not only open, but to remain open. This is where we need your help. Please continue to be vigilant about following CDC and Pennsylvania Department of Health guidelines, practice social distancing, wear face coverings when appropriate, wash your hands regularly, and avoid gatherings. Additionally, as a friendly reminder, please monitor your child daily for illness and keep them home should they display any symptoms. Please use our COVID-19 student reporting form to notify us should your child test positive. 

Please know that we sincerely understand that this message may cause some concern. Remain assured that we will continue to closely monitor this situation and will provide additional information as needed. If you have questions, please contact the school office.

As always, we sincerely appreciate your continued support and understanding.

David E. Christopher, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

Dear Mountain View Middle School Families, 

This weekend, the Cumberland Valley School District administration was notified of two positive cases of COVID-19, one involving a Mountain View Middle School student and another involving a Mountain View staff member. The student was last present in the building on November 24, 2020, and the staff member on November 20, 2020. Both subsequently tested positive.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health, together with Cumberland Valley School District, will lead the contact tracing investigation. No close contacts have been identified in the case involving a staff member. Individuals identified to date as close contacts to the student case have been notified by District administration. We will reach out immediately should any additional close contacts be identified. If an individual is not contacted by PA DoH and/or CV, the individual is not considered to be a close contact. Please be aware that Cumberland Valley School District has multiple employees who are certified contract tracers.

• Close contact is defined by the CDC as anyone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes starting from 48 hours before the person began feeling sick until the time the patient was isolated.

• Any student or staff member identified as a close contact will be required to quarantine for 14 days from their last possible day of exposure.

We will continue to closely monitor this situation and will provide additional information as needed. If you have questions, please contact your child’s school office or building principal.

As always, we sincerely appreciate your continued support and understanding.

David E. Christopher, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

Good afternoon and Happy Thanksgiving,

The Cumberland Valley School District continues to work toward providing face-to-face instruction for our students, even as case counts of COVID-19 increase regionally.  On Monday, November 23, 2020, the Pennsylvania Departments of Health and Education released new guidance for school districts who plan to continue to offer face-to-face instruction for students. That guidance is related to an updated mandate for face masks, which was the subject of an earlier communication from the District and an updated expectationfor district responses to cases of COVID-19 in schools.  As part of the updated expectations, CVSD has agreed to monitor the number of cases that occur within a school’s student and staff population on a rolling 14-day basis and to use that information to direct school closures due to positive cases.  In addition, CVSD has agreed to ensure that individuals who are in our schools for education or activities or on our District transportation are compliant with the updated masking requirements.  We have affirmed this by signing an Attestation form which confirms our commitment to abide by these measures.

A video that details the District’s current planning process can be found here.

It is imperative that students or staff members who test positive for COVID-19 quickly report that information to the District so we can take the necessary steps to contact trace any possible student or staff exposure.  To help support this effort, we are launching a COVID-19 Student Reporting Form to help streamline the process we are using to collect information about positive student cases. 

As we continue to prepare for what is likely to be a challenging couple of months, we are very interested in getting feedback from our students, staff, and community members. To assist us in this process, we have created a ThoughtExchange to gather feedback.  We would encourage all members of the CVSD community to participate in this online conversation.  The ThoughtExchange will be open until noon on December 4, 2020.

At this time, all Cumberland Valley School District buildings are slated to be on a hybrid schedule (Grades 6-12) or a fully face-to-face schedule (Grades K-5) upon return from Thanksgiving break.  However, this is subject to change based on case identifications in individual schools between now and December 1, 2020.  We encourage all members of the CV Community to commit to remaining vigilant in adherence to COVID-19 mitigation protocols, so we can continue to provide face-to-face opportunities for our students.

With sincere gratitude,

David Christopher, EdD
Superintendent

Dear Mountain View Middle School Families, 

Today, November 25, 2020, the Cumberland Valley School District administration was notified of a positive case of COVID-19 involving a Mountain View Middle School student. The student was last present in the building on November 16, 2020, and subsequently tested positive.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health, together with Cumberland Valley School District, will lead the contact tracing investigation. Individuals identified as close contacts will be contacted by PA DoH and/or Cumberland Valley administration no later than this evening, Wednesday, November 25, 2020. If an individual is not contacted by PA DoH and/or CV, the individual is not considered to be a close contact. Please be aware that Cumberland Valley School District has multiple employees who are certified contact tracers.

• Close contact is defined by the CDC as anyone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes starting from 48 hours before the person began feeling sick until the time the patient was isolated.

• Any student or staff member identified as a close contact will be notified by the Cumberland Valley administration or PA DoH and will be required to quarantine for 14 days from their last possible day of exposure.

We will continue to closely monitor this situation and will provide additional information as needed. If you have questions, please contact your child’s school office

As always, we sincerely appreciate your continued support and understanding.

David E. Christopher, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

Dear Silver Spring Elementary School Families, 

Today, November 23, 2020, the Cumberland Valley School District administration was notified of a positive case of COVID-19 involving a Silver Spring Elementary School staff member. The teacher was last present in the building on November 20, 2020, and subsequently tested positive.

Out of an abundance of care and caution, we will move to remote learning only at Silver Spring Elementary School on Tuesday November 24, 2020. The one-day closure will allow us to adequately contact trace this case and notify anyone identified as a close contact. Additionally, we will also ensure the building is thoroughly cleaned and disinfected, even beyond the regular and extensive cleanings that already occur daily. Because students are not scheduled for face-to-face instruction on Wednesday, November 25, 2020, until Tuesday, December 1, 2020, additional building closure will not be needed unless additional cases are identified prior to opening of schools.

Tomorrow, November 24, 2020, Silver Spring students will transition to remote learning for the day. Teachers will communicate directly with families regarding educational activities during the one-day closure.

Students will resume face-to-face instruction on Tuesday, December 1, 2020.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health, together with Cumberland Valley School District, will lead the contact tracing investigation. Any additional individuals identified as close contacts will be contacted by PA DoH and/or Cumberland Valley administration by tomorrow evening, November 24, 2020. If an individual is not contacted by PA DoH and/or CV, the individual is not considered to be a close contact. Please be aware that Cumberland Valley School District has multiple employees who are certified contact tracers.

• Close contact is defined by the CDC as anyone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total time of 15 minutes starting from 48 hours before the person began feeling sick until the time the patient was isolated.

• Students/staff who are notified by the Cumberland Valley administration or PA DoH that they were a close contact will be required to quarantine for 14 days from their last possible day of exposure.

Please know that we sincerely understand that this message may cause some concern. Remain assured that we will continue to closely monitor this situation and will provide additional information as needed. If you have questions, please contact the school office.

As always, we sincerely appreciate your continued support and understanding.

David E. Christopher, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

Dear Silver Spring Elementary School Families, 

Late this evening, November 22, 2020, the Cumberland Valley School District administration was notified of a positive case of COVID-19 involving a Silver Spring Elementary School student. The student was last present in the building on November 19, 2020, and subsequently tested positive.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health, together with Cumberland Valley School District, will lead the contact tracing investigation. Contact tracing of students has been completed and close contacts are being notified this evening. We will contract trace staff prior to school tomorrow. If an individual is not contacted by PA DoH and/or CV, the individual is not considered to be a close contact. Please be aware that Cumberland Valley School District has multiple employees who are certified contract tracers.

• Close contact is defined by the CDC as anyone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes starting from 48 hours before the person began feeling sick until the time the patient was isolated.

• Any student or staff member identified as a close contact will be notified by the Cumberland Valley administration or PA DoH and will be required to quarantine for 14 days from their last possible day of exposure.

We will continue to closely monitor this situation and will provide additional information as needed. If you have questions, please contact your child’s school office

As always, we sincerely appreciate your continued support and understanding.

David E. Christopher, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

(Please note: A PM phone call did not go out to Silver Spring families due to the late hour in which we learned of this case.)

Dear Middlesex Elementary School Families, 

Today, November 22, 2020, the Cumberland Valley School District administration was notified of a positive case of COVID-19 involving a Middlesex Elementary School student. The student was last present in the building on November 19, 2020, and subsequently tested positive.

Out of an abundance of care and caution, we will move to remote learning only at Middlesex Elementary School on Monday, November 23, 2020. The one-day closure will allow us to adequately contact trace this case and notify anyone identified as a close contact. Additionally, we will also ensure the building is thoroughly cleaned and disinfected, even beyond the regular and extensive cleanings that already occur daily.

We sincerely apologize for the late notice, but unfortunately we were not notified until late this afternoon.

Tomorrow, November 23, 2020, Middlesex students will transition to remote learning. Teachers will communicate directly with families regarding educational activities during the one-day closure.

Students will resume face-to-face instruction on Tuesday, November 24, 2020.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health, together with Cumberland Valley School District, will lead the contact tracing investigation. Any additional individuals identified as close contacts will be contacted by PA DoH and/or Cumberland Valley administration by tomorrow evening, November 23, 2020. If an individual is not contacted by PA DoH and/or CV, the individual is not considered to be a close contact. Please be aware that Cumberland Valley School District has multiple employees who are certified contract tracers.

• Close contact is defined by the CDC as anyone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total time of 15 minutes starting from 48 hours before the person began feeling sick until the time the patient was isolated.

• Students/staff who are notified by the Cumberland Valley administration or PA DoH that they were a close contact will be required to quarantine for 14 days from their last possible day of exposure.

Please know that we sincerely understand that this message may cause some concern. Remain assured that we will continue to closely monitor this situation and will provide additional information as needed. If you have questions, please contact the school office.

As always, we sincerely appreciate your continued support and understanding.

David E. Christopher, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

(Below is the text of a message that has been sent to Silver Spring families.)

Dear Silver Spring Elementary School Families, 

Today, November 21, 2020, the Cumberland Valley School District administration was notified of a positive case of COVID-19 involving a Silver Spring Elementary School staff member. The employee was last present in the building on November 18, 2020, and subsequently tested positive.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health, together with Cumberland Valley School District, led the contact tracing investigation. Contract tracing was completed, and no students or staff have been identified as close contacts. Please be aware that Cumberland Valley School District has multiple employees who are certified contract tracers.

• Close contact is defined by the CDC as anyone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes starting from 48 hours before the person began feeling sick until the time the patient was isolated.

• Because of the effective protocols in place, no students or staff are considered close contacts. However, had there been any close contacts, they would be required to quarantine for 14 days from their last possible day of exposure.

We will continue to closely monitor this situation and will provide additional information as needed. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact the school office.

As always, we sincerely appreciate your continued support and understanding.

David E. Christopher, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

(Below is the text of a message that has been sent to Mountain View families.)

Dear Mountain View Middle School Families, 

Today, November 21, 2020, the Cumberland Valley School District administration was notified of a positive case of COVID-19 involving a Mountain View Middle School student. The student was last present in the building on November 16, 2020, and subsequently tested positive.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health, together with Cumberland Valley School District, will lead the contact tracing investigation. Individuals identified as close contacts have been notified by District administration. If an individual is not contacted by PA DoH and/or CV, the individual is not considered to be a close contact. Please be aware that Cumberland Valley School District has multiple employees who are certified contract tracers.

• Close contact is defined by the CDC as anyone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes starting from 48 hours before the person began feeling sick until the time the patient was isolated.

• Any student or staff member identified as a close contact will be required to quarantine for 14 days from their last possible day of exposure.

We will continue to closely monitor this situation and will provide additional information as needed. If you have questions, please contact your child’s school office or building principal.

As always, we sincerely appreciate your continued support and understanding.

David E. Christopher, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

(Below is the text of a message that has been sent to CV families.)

Dear CV Families:

As you may be aware, earlier this week the Pennsylvania Department of Health issued updated and more restrictive orders regarding universal face coverings and travel quarantine mandates. Some of these updates impact how we are permitted to operate within our schools. Health and safety remain of paramount priority, and it is our hope to continue to provide a safe environment by adhering to orders from the PA DoH.

UNIVERSAL FACE COVERINGS ORDER: The order requires all students, visitors, and employees to wear a face covering both indoors and outdoors, unless they meet one of the exceptions listed under Section 3 of the Order. This includes during sports*, physical education classes, and outside play, and while walking to and from school and the bus. Students may remove their face coverings when eating or drinking when spaced apart, and during a face covering break that meets the guidelines.

One of the most noted changes to the updated order is that it now carves out face shields from the previous definition of a face covering and indicates that face shields are no longer considered acceptable unless determined by a physician to be medically necessary, or if they meet specific criteria for face coverings listed in the order.

You may click here to view a list of Frequently Asked Questions regarding the Universal Face Coverings Order, as posted on the Department of Health’s website.

*More specific communication will be issued to coaches through our athletic department regarding the implications of the updated order on athletic competitions, workouts, and practices. We are working with state level organizations such as the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) and the Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators (PASA) to fully interpret the order as it applies to interscholastic athletics.

TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS: Also announced earlier this week by the PA DoH is a requirement that any individual who visits PA from another state/country OR any PA resident who returns to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania MUST*:

• Have a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours prior to entering the Commonwealth.

• If someone cannot get a test or chooses not to, they must quarantine for 14 days upon arrival in Pennsylvania.

*Unless travelers qualify for one of the exemptions specified in Section 4 of the order.

Travel restrictions include everyone: Students, staff, coaches, parents, etc. The cost of the test is the responsibility of the individual. Please contact your child’s school office as soon as possible if your child will need to quarantine after Thanksgiving break or at any time during the duration of this travel restriction. You will need to work with your child’s teacher(s) regarding continuity of education during quarantine.

You may click here to view a list of Frequently Asked Questions regarding the travel restrictions, as posted on the Department of Health’s website.

Please know that we sincerely understand these updated, state-mandated restrictions, which are now in effect, will place additional burdens on our students and families. However, the District is responsible for adhering to these state-issued orders.

We’ve said this many times before, but we sincerely appreciate the patience, understanding, and support that you have demonstrated during this unique and challenging time in public education. Likewise, we are here to support you. Please do not hesitate to reach out to your child’s principal should you have any questions about these updates.

Dr. David E. Christopher, Ed.D
Superintendent of Schools

(Below is the text of a message that has been sent to CV High School families.)

Dear CV High School Families, 

Today, November 19, 2020, the Cumberland Valley School District administration was notified of a positive case of COVID-19 involving a CV High School student. The student was last present in the building on November 13, 2020, and subsequently tested positive.

Out of an abundance of care and caution, CV High School will transition to remote learning only beginning Friday, November 20, through Monday, November 30, 2020. Due to multiple cases of COVID-19 over the preceding two-week period, this closure will allow for adequate contact tracing of any and all close contacts pertaining to this case. In addition, the closure allows the building to be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected, even beyond the regular and extensive cleanings that already occur daily. 

Building administration will communicate directly with students and families regarding the educational schedule during the three-school-day closure, which begins Friday, November 20, 2020.  

It is anticipated students will resume face-to-face instruction on Tuesday, December 1, 2020.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health, together with Cumberland Valley School District, will lead the contact tracing investigation. Individuals identified as close contacts will be contacted by PA DoH and/or Cumberland Valley administration by tomorrow evening, November 20, 2020. If an individual is not contacted by PA DoH and/or CV, the individual is not considered to be a close contact. Please be aware that Cumberland Valley School District has multiple employees who are certified contract tracers.

• Close contact is defined by the CDC as anyone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total time of 15 minutes starting from 48 hours before the person began feeling sick until the time the patient was isolated.

• The student is a member of an athletic team, which will result in quarantine of teammates. Students/staff who are notified by the Cumberland Valley administration or PA DoH that they were a close contact will be required to quarantine for 14 days from their last possible day of exposure.

Please know that we sincerely understand that this message may cause some concern. Remain assured that we will continue to closely monitor this situation and will provide additional information as needed. If you have questions, please contact the school office.

As always, we sincerely appreciate your continued support and understanding.

David E. Christopher, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

(Below is the text of a message that has been sent to Green Ridge Elementary School families.)

Dear Green Ridge Elementary School Families, 

Today, November 19, 2020, the Cumberland Valley School District administration was notified of a positive case of COVID-19 involving a Green Ridge Elementary School student. The student was last present in the building on November 17, 2020, and subsequently tested positive.

Out of an abundance of care and caution, we will move to remote learning only at Green Ridge Elementary School at the end of the day today through Monday, November 30, 2020. As this is the second case in two weeks, this will allow for the building to be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected, even beyond the regular and extensive cleanings that already occur daily, and will allow us to ensure we can adequately contact trace any and all close contacts to the student. We believe there is also the potential for additional caution due to specific information related to this case and possible exposure due to child care. 

Tomorrow, November 20, 2020, Green Ridge students will transition to remote learning. Teachers will communicate directly with families regarding educational activities during the three-school-day closure.

While we understand that this email may cause some concern, please know that it is not necessary to arrange to pick up your child prior to the end of the day, or to change your transportation arrangements. CVSD continues to utilize many mitigation strategies to minimize the potential for spread and has already taken immediate and specific precautions related to students within this child’s specific classroom.

Students will resume face-to-face instruction on Tuesday, December 1, 2020.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health, together with Cumberland Valley School District, will lead the contact tracing investigation. Any additional individuals identified as close contacts will be contacted by PA DoH and/or Cumberland Valley administration by tomorrow evening, November 20, 2020. If an individual is not contacted by PA DoH and/or CV, the individual is not considered to be a close contact. Please be aware that Cumberland Valley School District has multiple employees who are certified contract tracers.

• Close contact is defined by the CDC as anyone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total time of 15 minutes starting from 48 hours before the person began feeling sick until the time the patient was isolated.

• Students/staff who are notified by the Cumberland Valley administration or PA DoH that they were a close contact will be required to quarantine for 14 days from their last possible day of exposure.

Please know that we sincerely understand that this message may cause some concern. Remain assured that we will continue to closely monitor this situation and will provide additional information as needed. If you have questions, please contact the school office.

As always, we sincerely appreciate your continued support and understanding.

David E. Christopher, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

Dear Cumberland Valley High School Families, 

Today, November 17, 2020, the Cumberland Valley School District administration was notified of a positive case of COVID-19 involving a CV High School support staff member. The employee was last present in the building on Wednesday, November 11, 2020, and subsequently tested positive.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health, together with Cumberland Valley School District, led the contact tracing investigation and determined there to be no close contacts in this case. Please be aware that Cumberland Valley School District has multiple employees who are certified contract tracers.

• Close contact is defined by the CDC as anyone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes starting from 48 hours before the person began feeling sick until the time the patient was isolated.

• Would there have been any close contacts, those individuals would have been notified by the Cumberland Valley administration or PA DoH and would have been required to quarantine for 14 days from their last possible day of exposure.

The effective protocols in place and the schedule we follow allow the High School to remain open for in-person learning in our hybrid model even with several cases.  However, even with this schedule, a continued increase in student or staff cases within the building would warrant a temporary closure of the school.  

We will continue to closely monitor this situation and will provide additional information as needed. If you have questions, please contact your child’s school office or building principal.

As always, we sincerely appreciate your continued support and understanding.

David E. Christopher, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

Good afternoon Cumberland Valley Families,

Attached to this communication is a video update that details the District’s current plans related to COVID-19 mitigation and face-to-face instruction.

Currently, Cumberland County is seeing substantial transmission of COVID-19 in the county.  This is marked by an incidence rate of more than 100 incidence/100,000 residents per week.  Last week, Cumberland County had an incidence rate of 185 incidence/100,000 residents, which was more than double the previous week’s rate.

While we are currently able to continue to provide face-to-face instruction for students in nearly all buildings across the District, a continued incidence rate that is within the substantial range will make this increasingly difficult and will, unfortunately, result in more school closures with a transition to online learning and more disruptions for our students.

The video update provides an overview of how the District is making closure decisions for buildings and fully details the current level of spread within the county. We are hopeful that over the Thanksgiving break, we can reduce spread regionally and reverse the current trend we are seeing.  

Our goal has been, and continues to be, to provide face-to-face instruction for students. To ensure we are able to do this, we need everyone’s help in reducing the spread of COVID-19 in our region. 

Thank you for your continued support of our students, staff, and community.

With great appreciation,

David E. Christopher, Ed.D.
Superintendent

Direct video link: https://youtu.be/i9BbVqJ-t5Y

Dear Cumberland Valley High School Families, 

Today, November 16, 2020, the Cumberland Valley School District administration was notified of two positive cases of COVID-19 involving CV High School students. The students were last present in the building on Tuesday, November 10, 2020, and subsequently tested positive.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health, together with Cumberland Valley School District, will lead the contact tracing investigation. Individuals identified as close contacts will be contacted by PA DoH and/or Cumberland Valley administration no later than this evening, Monday, November 16, 2020. If an individual is not contacted by PA DoH and/or CV, the individual is not considered to be a close contact. Please be aware that Cumberland Valley School District has multiple employees who are certified contract tracers.

• Close contact is defined by the CDC as anyone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes starting from 48 hours before the person began feeling sick until the time the patient was isolated.

• Any student or staff member identified as a close contact will be notified by the Cumberland Valley administration or PA DoH and will be required to quarantine for 14 days from their last possible day of exposure.

The effective protocols in place and the schedule we follow allow the High School to remain open for in-person learning in our hybrid model, even with several cases.  However, even with this schedule, a continued increase in student or staff cases within the building would warrant a temporary closure of the school.  

We will continue to closely monitor this situation and will provide additional information as needed. If you have questions, please contact your child’s school office or building principal.

As always, we sincerely appreciate your continued support and understanding.

David E. Christopher, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

(Below is the text of an email that has been sent to Winding Creek Elementary School families.)

Dear Winding Creek Elementary School Families, 

Today, November 12, 2020, the Cumberland Valley School District administration was notified of two additional positive cases of COVID-19 involving Winding Creek students. One student was last present in the building on November 6, 2020, and the other was last present on November 3, 2020. Both subsequently tested positive.

This brings our total case count at Winding Creek within the past two weeks to four students and one staff member, plus numerous individuals identified as close contacts who are subsequently in quarantine. Out of an abundance of care and caution, we will close Winding Creek Elementary School beginning tomorrow, Friday, November 13, 2020, through Monday, November 30, 2020. A closure of this length is warranted based on the number of student cases, which now show that substantial community spread is occurring within the Winding Creek community, and because of the number of students and staff who have been exposed within the building. In addition, with the current number of staff who are required to quarantine because of school exposure, it would be difficult to continue to operate the building effectively for face-to-face instruction.

We strongly encourage families of Winding Creek students to increase adherence to COVID-19 mitigation strategies (mask wearing, social distancing, and increased hygiene practices) as it is apparent that COVID-19 transmission is occurring within the Winding Creek community. 

Beginning on Friday, November 13, 2020, Winding Creek students will transition to remote learning for the duration of the closure. Teachers will communicate directly with families regarding educational activities during the closure. Winding Creek Elementary School will reopen for students on Tuesday, December 1, 2020.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health, together with Cumberland Valley School District, will lead the contact tracing investigation. Individuals identified as close contacts will be contacted by PA DoH and/or Cumberland Valley administration no later than the end of the day on Friday, November 13, 2020. If an individual is not contacted by PA DoH and/or CV, the individual is not considered to be a close contact. Please be aware that Cumberland Valley School District has multiple employees who are certified contract tracers.

• Close contact is defined by the CDC as anyone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total time of 15 minutes starting from 48 hours before the person began feeling sick until the time the patient was isolated.

• Students/Staff who are notified by the Cumberland Valley administration or PA DoH that they were a close contact will be required to quarantine for 14 days from their last possible day of exposure.

Please know that we sincerely understand that this message may cause some concern. Remain assured that we will continue to closely monitor this situation and will provide additional information as needed. If you have questions, please contact the school office or your child’s building principal.

As always, we sincerely appreciate your continued support and understanding.

David E. Christopher, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

(Below is the text of a message that has been sent to CV High School families.)

Dear Cumberland Valley High School Families, 

Today, November 12, 2020, the Cumberland Valley School District administration was notified of a positive case of COVID-19 involving a CV High School student. The student was last present in the building on Friday, November 6, 2020, and subsequently tested positive.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health, together with Cumberland Valley School District, will lead the contact tracing investigation. Individuals identified as close contacts will be contacted by PA DoH and/or Cumberland Valley administration no later than this evening, Thursday, November 12, 2020. If an individual is not contacted by PA DoH and/or CV, the individual is not considered to be a close contact. Please be aware that Cumberland Valley School District has multiple employees who are certified contract tracers.

• Close contact is defined by the CDC as anyone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes starting from 48 hours before the person began feeling sick until the time the patient was isolated.

• Any student or staff member identified as a close contact will be notified by the Cumberland Valley administration or PA DoH and will be required to quarantine for 14 days from their last possible day of exposure.

We will continue to closely monitor this situation and will provide additional information as needed. If you have questions, please contact your child’s school office or building principal.

As always, we sincerely appreciate your continued support and understanding.

David E. Christopher, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

(Below is the text of a message that has been sent to Eagle View families.)

Dear Eagle View Middle School Families, 

Yesterday, November 9, 2020, the Cumberland Valley School District administration was notified of a positive case of COVID-19 involving an Eagle View Middle School support staff member. The employee was last present in the building on Monday, November 2, 2020, and subsequently tested positive.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health, together with Cumberland Valley School District, will lead the contact tracing investigation. Any individual identified as a close contact has been contacted by PA DoH and/or Cumberland Valley administration. If an individual has not been contacted by PA DoH and/or CV, the individual is not considered to be a close contact. Please be aware that Cumberland Valley School District has multiple employees who are certified contract tracers.

• Close contact is defined by the CDC as anyone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes starting from 48 hours before the person began feeling sick until the time the patient was isolated.

• Because of the effective protocols in place, no students are considered close contacts. Any staff member who has been identified as a close contact has been notified and will be required to quarantine for 14 days from their last possible day of exposure.

We will continue to closely monitor this situation and will provide additional information as needed. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact the school office.

As always, we sincerely appreciate your continued support and understanding.

David E. Christopher, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

Dear Winding Creek Elementary School Families, 

Today, November 8, 2020, the Cumberland Valley School District administration was notified of two positive cases of COVID-19 involving Winding Creek Elementary School students. The students were last present in the building on November 6, 2020, and both subsequently tested positive.

We will close Winding Creek Elementary School for three days - Monday, November 9, 2020, through Wednesday, November 11, 2020 - to allow for the building to be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected, even beyond the regular and extensive cleanings that already occur daily, and to ensure we can adequately contact trace any and all close contacts to the students. In addition, because this is now the third case this week involving an individual at Winding Creek, a three-day building closure is recommended. All close contacts to students will be notified by the end of the day on Monday. 

Winding Creek students on Monday will transition to remote learning for the three-day closure. Teachers will communicate directly with families regarding educational activities during the closure. Winding Creek will reopen for students on Thursday, November 12, 2020.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health, together with Cumberland Valley School District, will lead the contact tracing investigation. Individuals identified as close contacts will be contacted by PA DoH and/or Cumberland Valley administration. If an individual is not contacted by PA DoH and/or CV, the individual is not considered to be a close contact. Please be aware that Cumberland Valley School District has multiple employees who are certified contract tracers.

• Close contact is defined by the CDC as anyone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total time of 15 minutes starting from 48 hours before the person began feeling sick until the time the patient was isolated.

• Students/Staff who are notified by the Cumberland Valley administration or PA DoH that they were a close contact will be required to quarantine for 14 days from their last possible day of exposure.

Please know that we sincerely understand that this message may cause some concern. Remain assured that we will continue to closely monitor this situation and will provide additional information as needed. If you have questions, please contact the Winding Creek Elementary School office at 717-620-2525.

As always, we sincerely appreciate your continued support and understanding.

David E. Christopher, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

(The following message has been sent to Green Ridge Elementary School families.)

Dear Green Ridge Elementary School Families, 

Today, November 8, 2020, the Cumberland Valley School District administration was notified of a positive case of COVID-19 involving a Green Ridge Elementary School student. The student was last present in the building on November 6, 2020, and subsequently tested positive.

We will close Green Ridge Elementary School for one day - Monday, November 9, 2020 - to allow for the building to be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected, even beyond the regular and extensive cleanings that already occur daily, and to ensure we can adequately contact trace any and all close contacts to the student. Green Ridge students on Monday will transition to remote learning for the day. Teachers will communicate directly with families regarding educational activities for the day.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health, together with Cumberland Valley School District, will lead the contact tracing investigation. Individuals identified as close contacts will be contacted by PA DoH and/or Cumberland Valley administration. If an individual is not contacted by PA DoH and/or CV, the individual is not considered to be a close contact. Please be aware that Cumberland Valley School District has multiple employees who are certified contract tracers.

• Close contact is defined by the CDC as anyone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total time of 15 minutes starting from 48 hours before the person began feeling sick until the time the patient was isolated.

• Students/Staff who are notified by the Cumberland Valley administration or PA DoH that they were a close contact will be required to quarantine for 14 days from their last possible day of exposure.

Please know that we sincerely understand that this message may cause some concern. Remain assured that we will continue to closely monitor this situation and will provide additional information as needed. If you have questions, please email Mrs. Miller at mmiller@cvschools.org or call the Green Ridge Elementary School office at (717) 766-4911.

As always, we sincerely appreciate your continued support and understanding.

David E. Christopher, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

(Below is the text of an email that has been sent to families across the district.)

Good afternoon, CV families.

We are experiencing an increase in COVID-19 cases and spread in Pennsylvania. Today, the Pennsylvania Department of Health reported 3,384 new cases of COVID-19 and reported a weekly new high rate of incidence per 100,000 residents for the state of 124.8. A rate of more than 100 incidence of COVID-19 per 100,000 is considered substantial community spread.

Luckily, Cumberland County continues to do better than the state average, although cases in our county are also on the rise. Today, we saw a new high of 77.6 incidence per 100,000 reported for the past week.  

In addition, we had two positive cases of COVID-19 reported in our schools today. This is an increase from what we have seen in our schools to date. Specific notification related to those cases has already been shared with students and staff who may have been identified as close contacts and, as promised at the start of the school year, information has also been placed on our website regarding these cases.

We continue to believe and to demonstrate that the protocols we have in place are effective at mitigating the spread of COVID-19 in our schools. We also know that should we continue to see cases of COVID-19 within our buildings, even if those cases originate in our community and not in our schools, that some school closures are likely to occur. It is our intent to continue to provide face-to-face instruction for our students and continue to utilize the protocols we have in place.

We are working to ensure that, no matter what occurs, we are ready to continue to educate all of our students. To plan for the possibility that we may need to move to remote learning, and that this may occur without substantial warning, we may be sending additional instructional materials home with students at the end of each day. This is especially true for elementary aged students.

This is not to cause panic and it is not an indication that we plan to close a school. Rather, it simply is an acknowledgment that the potential for building closures exists and we want to be ready to continue our educational programs with as little disruption as possible. 

We appreciate your continued support of our teachers, staff, and district.  

With sincere appreciation,

Dr. David E. Christopher, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

(The following message has been sent to Winding Creek Elementary School families.)

Dear Winding Creek Elementary School Families, 

Today, November 6, 2020, the Cumberland Valley School District administration was notified of a positive case of COVID-19 involving a Winding Creek support staff member. The employee was last present in the building on Thursday, November 5, 2020, and subsequently tested positive today.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health, together with Cumberland Valley School District, will lead our contact tracing investigation. Individuals identified as close contacts will be contacted by PA DoH and/or Cumberland Valley administration. If an individual is not contacted by PA DoH and/or CV, the individual is not considered to be a close contact. Please be aware that Cumberland Valley School District has multiple employees who are certified contract tracers.

• Close contact is defined by the CDC as anyone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes starting from 48 hours before the person began feeling sick until the time the patient was isolated.

• Because of the effective protocols in place, we do not believe that any students/staff are considered close contacts of the staff member.

We will continue to closely monitor this situation and will provide additional information as needed. If you have questions, please contact the Winding Creek Elementary School office at (717) 620-2525.

As always, we sincerely appreciate your continued support and understanding.

David E. Christopher, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

(Below is the text of a message that has been shared with CV High School families.)

Dear Cumberland Valley High School Families, 

Today, November 6, 2020, the Cumberland Valley School District administration was notified of a positive case of COVID-19 involving a Cumberland Valley High School support staff member. The employee was last present in the building on Tuesday, November 3, 2020, and subsequently tested positive.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health, together with Cumberland Valley School District, will lead the contact tracing investigation. Individuals identified as close contacts will be contacted by PA DoH and/or Cumberland Valley administration. If an individual is not contacted by PA DoH and/or CV, the individual is not considered to be a close contact. Please be aware that Cumberland Valley School District has multiple employees who are certified contract tracers.

• Close contact is defined by the CDC as anyone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes starting from 48 hours before the person began feeling sick until the time the patient was isolated.

• Because of the effective protocols in place, we do not believe that any students are considered close contacts. However, any staff member identified as a close contact will be notified by the Cumberland Valley administration or PA DoH and will be required to quarantine for 14 days from their last possible day of exposure.

We will continue to closely monitor this situation and will provide additional information as needed. If you have questions, please contact the High School office at (717) 506-3555.

As always, we sincerely appreciate your continued support and understanding.

David E. Christopher, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

• • Close contact is defined by the CDC as anyone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes starting from 48 hours before the person began feeling sick until the time the patient was isolated.

• • Students/Staff who are notified by the Cumberland Valley administration or PA DoH that they were a close contact will be required to quarantine for 14 days from their last possible day of exposure.