COVID-19 Related Media/News Reports Update: October 16, 2020
Good Afternoon. I am writing to clarify some misinformation that has been circulating in the local media and on social media regarding COVID-19 (C19) spread in Hanover related to hockey and to provide some context to our overall current situation. On Wednesday evening, we issued the following update, Hanover Public Schools COVID-19 Health Update, October 14, 2020, about how we are managing C19 cases. Since that message, we have confirmed two more positive student cases bringing our overall total to seven. To date, we have no confirmed staff cases. We will continue to communicate with families in each school when we have a confirmed case, and support the Town Health Department with their contact tracing in each situation.
Regarding hockey. Presently we have 36 Hanover High School students who are under self-quarantine because of a possible close contact with an infected individual at a hockey “captain’s practice” last week. For generations, a captain’s practice is an informal practice organized by students during the off-season in all sports. These are not school-sanctioned nor supported, but it is not unique to this group of students or any other sport. The story has been picked up by several media sources as a “cluster” in Hanover caused by this practice. The use of the term “cluster” for this specific situation is inaccurate given the data we presently have. As of this moment, we have one confirmed case. Most of the students involved have been tested and all are negative to date. All of the students involved are under a public health order to self-quarantine for 14 days to ensure none of them are infectious, and to prevent any chance of spread that could affect our students and staff and risk closing schools. Our students were doing what kids do – playing a game that they love. Their commitment has resulted in great success. Without question, these long quarantines are a difficult thing for our students to understand and accept. We are grateful that no other cases have surfaced yet and that our students remain healthy. That is our top priority. We have a few dozen additional students and staff under self-quarantine related to other situations, and we are following the protocols established by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, the CDC, and our own health professionals. C19 can happen to any of us, and it is important and necessary that no one is stigmatized because they contract the virus or come in close contact with someone who has it.
Regarding these types of student-directed practices and gatherings for all sports, we are working with our Athletic Office to educate all involved that in the context of C19, these unsupervised activities put everyone’s health, and the ability to stay in school, at-risk and they need to stop for now. We need your support.
This situation is not a Hanover specific issue, and we have no authority to take action. However, many of the recent cases on the South Shore originated from private youth hockey clubs and events. We have been impacted with both students and staff having to self-quarantine because of testing positive or being a close contact of someone who is infected. This is beyond our jurisdiction, but we will cooperate with contact tracing if we are asked to do so. We feel confident with our contact tracing and testing response for our students and employees related to this situation.
I have been asked why we simply don’t shut down sports and other activities. As a father, and youth sports coach (albeit without too many wins), I know how important these activities are to our kids – especially now. We understand that stress, anxiety, and depression are affecting so many kids nationwide. These outcomes are also a serious health issue for young people. Time has proven that youth sports can be done safely if the adults involved model and enforce the protocols given to us by the experts. We need to ensure our kids are following these rules when they are at practice, games, kicking a ball around Forge Pond Park, or shooting hoops at B. Everett Hall playground. I get it – we are all “done” with this pandemic, and gratefully we are in a community that has incredible supports and strategies to keep people safe and to test and monitor those who get sick. We will continue to support sports and activities as long as they can be done safely. If there is any C19 spread (sports-related or otherwise) that affects our ability to keep schools open and to move toward more in-person learning, we will make the hard decisions required. We truly want our students to have athletic and social interactions as often as possible, but we need to work together to keep the spread of C19 out of our schools.
Thank you very much for taking the time to read this message and for your ongoing patience and support. Please have a safe and enjoyable weekend.
Sincerely,
Matt Ferron
Superintendent of Schools