First MSBSD student tests positive for COVID-19

PALMER — The Mat-Su Borough School District announced Thursday that the first student that has tested positive for COVID-19.

The district sent out a mass notification to parents at Machetanz Elementary through their Blackboard notification system that a third grader had tested positive at Machetanz Elementary and parents may pick up their children early through coordinated dismissal.

“The student who tested positive is in third grade, did not attend school today, and did not ride district school buses. The district is also not aware of any other contacts at other schools. Additional precautions are being taken at Machetanz Elementary to limit mixing of students for the remainder of the day, following the school’s mitigation plan,” reads a press release sent out by the school district.

Machetanz remained open to in-person instruction on Thursday while parents have the option of picking up their student or students early, but was closed to students on Friday. Machetanz will reopen doors to in-person instruction on Monday. During the brief closure, all classes will be conducted via at-home learning and the school will undergo disinfecting procedures.

“They were notified as soon as we were able and had the information,” said MSBSD Public Information Officer Jillian Morrissey. “We sent out an email, Dr. Trani also did an automatic call to all of the families at Machetanz as well. They also received a text message alerting them that there was important info in their email inbox.”

Mat-Su Public Health has begun contact tracing efforts and students that are determined to have been within a six-foot radius for more than 15 minutes will be notified by a school nurse within the next two days. Machetanz students will be able to receive “grab and go” meals at Colony High School from 10:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m.

“School nurses are in charge. They do an assessment on any student that is experiencing symptoms so then if that student is experiencing symptoms and we’re really conservative right now, if you are experiencing symptoms then you are headed home,” said Morrissey. “We’re going to look at each situation in order to make the assessment on facility closures and how we will do that is we have that health advisory team that’s made up of district staff and the public health officials so they’ll be looking at that information with us.”

According to the School Decision Tree in Machetanz Elementary’s individualized mitigation plan, a confirmed case will result in a risk assessment and short term building closure as has been announced. If a student experiences symptoms at school that student will be sent to the nurse and either return to classes or be sent home with testing strongly encouraged. If the student tests positive, the student must remain at home for 10 days and maintain 24 hours without symptoms before returning. If the student’s test is negative, they may return to school after 24 hours without symptoms. Each close contact of a confirmed positive will remain at home for 14 days and 24 hours without symptoms.