Dear Sarah E. Goode STEM Academy Community,

Chicago Public Schools is committed to following strict health and safety protocols and providing timely updates regarding COVID-19 cases at our school. As part of our commitment to transparency, I am writing today to make you aware that a member of the Sarah E. Goode STEM Academy community may be infected with COVID-19. While this person is not experiencing symptoms and was in the building earlier today, results from the district’s proactive COVID-19 testing program indicate that this person is possibly infected with the coronavirus. This individual is currently isolating at home and awaiting results from a confirmatory COVID-19 test that will determine definitively whether they have the virus. We will receive the test results in one to two days, and we will notify you of those results as soon as they are available.
We already notified the parents and families who have a child in the impacted classroom through phone calls and emails. If you did not receive those communications, your child’s classroom is not impacted and no action is required of you or your child. Please continue sending your child to school so they can receive the highest quality education possible.
While we cannot disclose who is being tested for COVID-19 for privacy reasons, your child’s principal is always available to discuss the district’s health and safety protocols and matters related to your child. For your awareness, below are answers to frequently asked questions regarding COVID-19. For district updates and resources, visit cps.edu/reopening. If you need help locating medical care or have CPS-specific questions, please reach out to the CPS at familyservices@cps.edu or the Healthy CPS Hotline 773-553-KIDS (5437), which is staffed 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Sincerely,

Armando Rodriguez
Principal

What is COVID-19, and how does it spread?

COVID-19 is a new respiratory illness that can spread from person to person. While you generally need to have been in close contact with a person with COVID-19 to become infected (i.e., within six feet of a person with COVID-19 for 15 minutes or more), please remember that presence in any public setting (e.g., bus, train, grocery store, pharmacy, etc.) can result in exposure to someone who is contagious with COVID-19 and may not be aware of their infection. We can slow the spread of COVID-19 in our community by social distancing whenever possible, wearing a mask in public, washing our hands thoroughly, and avoiding close contact with people who are sick. At this time, there is no cure for COVID-19.
What are symptoms of COVID-19, and what should I do if I have them? 

Symptoms of COVID-19 include fever or chills, cough, difficulty breathing, sore throat, muscle or body aches, new loss of taste or smell, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, or diarrhea. If you develop COVID-19 symptoms, you should isolate yourself from other people in your household to the greatest extent possible, even if your symptoms are very mild. You should also get tested right away. Visit the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) website to find a testing site near you.

 If you test positive for COVID-19, it is critical that you stay home away from others for:  At least 10 days since symptoms first appeared, and  At least 24 hours with no fever without fever-reducing medication, and
 Until symptoms have improved. If you develop the following emergency symptoms, please call 911 and notify the dispatch personnel that you have either tested positive for COVID-19 or may have been exposed to COVID-19:

•  Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath.
•  Persistent pain or pressure in the chest.
•  Confusion or difficulty being woken.
• Lips, face, or nails that appear blue in color. 

Emergency symptoms may require supportive care, like intravenous fluids, oxygen, or other kinds of evaluation or treatment to help you until your illness has resolved. 

What should I do if I’ve been exposed to COVID-19 but do not have symptoms? 

You should stay home for 14 calendar days from your last exposure and get tested five to nine days after being exposed. Visit the CDPH website to find a testing site near you. You must complete the 14-day quarantine even if you receive a negative test result, as people can become sick anytime in that 14-day window. 

Where can I access additional information?

For the most reliable information, please visit

chicago.gov/coronavirus or cdc.gov/coronavirus. To contact the Chicago Department of Public Health with questions about the virus, please email coronavirus@chicago.gov or call 312-746-4835. Phone lines are currently staffed Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Please note that this call center can not access COVID-19 testing results. For testing inquiries or results, please contact your healthcare provider.