Details About COVID-19 Reporting Protocols & Community Chart Reporting

We have received additional questions about our COVID-19 reporting protocols and Reporting to the Community chart, which is updated by 4:00 p.m. each school day. Specifically, this communication will cover two topics: explanation of the 14-day rolling period and the temporary closure threshold.

What is the rolling 14-day period?

A building’s 14-day rolling count begins with the date of the first COVID positive case. This date is either the date the individual was first symptomatic (if known) or the date the individual was tested. Only individuals who are physically present in the school setting while infectious count toward the number of cases in a school. 

For example, if an in-person student was identified as COVID+ on December 1, and three more students in the building are identified as COVID+ cases on December 13, there are four total cases in the school’s rolling 14-day period until December 14. That is 14 days from the date that the first student was identified as a case. On December 14, the building’s 14-day rolling count would be reduced by one case to account for the student who was identified on December 1 but is no longer in quarantine/infectious. The other three students would then remain in the 14-day rolling period until December 26 (14 days from December 13).

How does the district determine if a temporary closure is necessary?

The temporary closure threshold range is based on the size of the school as indicated by the number of students enrolled in the building. When we reach a COVID+ case count that is within the building’s temporary closure threshold, we look at multiple factors including: 

• Current COVID+ case counts and where they fall within the school’s 14 day rolling period. For example, will the case count be reduced soon, as explained above?
• How are we doing with cleaning, disinfecting, and contact tracing?
• Can we identify how an individual contracted COVID-19, either outside the school setting or within the building?
• Do we have information about possible new cases?

The PA Department of Health provides the temporary closure threshold range for each school. If there is the potential to exceed that range, we will need to make a temporary switch to virtual instruction.