Orange County Public Schools and the Florida Department of Health in Orange County announced to parents and staff of West Orange High School that they will shift the entire school to LaunchED@Home starting Monday, Sept. 21 until Oct. 2. All 922 face-to-face students and staff members will return to campus on Monday, Oct. 5, 2020. There will also be no extracurricular or co-curricular activities. This decision is out of an abundance of caution after 10 positive COVID-19 cases have been confirmed by FDOH with at least two cases pending.
In consultation with the FDOH in Orange County, the campus will close for two weeks in an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19 on campus. Currently, there are 159 students and staff that have been identified as having direct contact with at least 10 individuals who tested positive and will be getting FDOH quarantine letters. The Florida Department of Health in Orange County is providing specific information to the families directly impacted. Information related to any individual’s medical history is confidential and protected by law.
LaunchED@Home is the same educational model that was used by all at the beginning of the school year in order to prepare for a situation such as this, and what the majority of West Orange High students and teachers are already using. Meantime, the entire campus will be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. That process started with the confirmation of the first case on Sept.14, 2020. The health and safety of our students and staff is OCPS’ top priority.
In addition, the Department of Health will be offering free drive-thru COVID-19 testing in the parking lot of West Orange High School through a mobile testing unit. Priority will be given to those in quarantine. The school will provide more details as they become available. This is exclusively for West Orange High School students and staff members who have been on campus and need to be tested. We encourage concerned families to take advantage of this precautionary screening opportunity.
Due to the closure, West Orange will not be distributing meals during these two weeks, breakfast and lunch will be available for pick-up at any other school Monday, Sept. 21, 2020.
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