2 cases of covid-19 reported at Mt. Lebanon elementary school in as many days, building closed for 5 days

Teachers, staff and the handful of students attending in-person classes at Mt. Lebanon’s Howe Elementary School won’t be allowed back in the building for at least five days after a second person tested positive for covid-19 in as many days, according to a district spokeswoman.

Principal Michelle Murray notified families by letter on Wednesday that an employee had tested positive for covid-19.

The letter said in addition to cleaning and sanitizing the building, the employee will not be permitted to return to work “until they have completed isolation procedures for covid-19.”

The district also reported the case to the Allegheny County Health Department, which will notify any person who may have come within 6 feet of the employee for at least 15 minutes, according to the letter.

“We are working with the Allegheny County Health Department and are taking all recommended steps to ensure the safety of our students and staff,” Murray wrote in the letter. “The District is closely monitoring this situation and will notify staff and families if any additional actions need to be taken.”

The letters said the building will be cleaned and sanitized.

On Thursday, the principal sent a second letter to families informing them that Howe Elementary will be shut down for five days after a second person in the building tested positive for covid-19.

The district’s students have been doing remote learning from home since the start of classes on Aug. 31 because of the coronavirus pandemic. But teachers were working from their classrooms, said spokeswoman Cissy Bowman.

“There were also about five or six special education students taking classes in the building,” she said.

Bowman said the employees who tested positive for covid-19 are not teachers.