Three in Presentation School community test positive for COVID-19

UPDATE: This story has been updated since it was originally published on Dec. 1, and now reflects additional people known to have tested positive for coronavirus.

Three people associated with The Presentation School in Sonoma tested positive for coronavirus over the holiday break, but the school’s operations are not interrupted, an official said.

Jackie Gallo, head of the private school, confirmed Wednesday that three people in the Presentation School community tested positive in November, but none of the infected individuals have been on campus since they learned they were infected.

In one situation with two infected people “the exposure happened after the Thanksgiving break. That exposure did not affect any on-campus operations and we have, out of an abundance of caution, required any second or third degree of that person to remain at home for 14 days,” Gallo said.

One other case involved a person who has not been on campus “since early November,” she said.

Out of privacy concerns, Gallo declined to say if the persons infected were students, parents or staff members, or if there are children or adults.

She was informed of one positive test result over the Thanksgiving break that began at the end of the Friday, Nov. 20, and the other two were reported to her earlier this week. She said she was pleased that she was notified so quickly.

“We have an incredibly cooperative community” that is working together to “ensure the rest of the community is still safe,” she said. “We have a community that is following the guidance we have to be on campus. It shows that our policies are working.”

The Presentation School, which offers grades kindergarten through 8th grade, was the first school in the county to receive a waiver approval and allow on-campus learning. State rules allow on-campus learning for students in grades kindergarten through 6th grade, and Presentation has the campus open for kindergarten through 4th grade, and 5th and 6th graders are on campus one week at a time, while the other grade practices remote learning, Gallo said.

“Everyone has an opportunity to come to school. If they choose to stay home, they are welcome to,” she said.

Students in grades 7 and 8 are distance learning, per state guidelines.

St. Francis Solano School began welcoming students back this week. Some public schools in Sonoma have also begun hosting some groups of at-risk students on campuses. If Gov. Gavin Newsom issues a stay-at-home order, it will not change preparations to return Sonoma County students to their classrooms or cancel programs currently allowed at schools under existing public health guidelines, county Superintendent of Schools Steve Herrington said Wednesday. “The guidance from the state is whatever you are currently operating, you will maintain,” Herrington said.

Gallo said that she is taking the “most cautious” steps possible. “We feel pretty confident in how we’re doing things,” she said.

Contact Anne at anne.ernst@sonomanews.com.