Waldorf School of Bend deals with COVID-19 outbreak involving 5 students, staff

(Adding video, details, comments by school director)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- On Wednesday, the Oregon Health Authority reported 21 cases of COVID-19 at schools around the state. The largest single school outbreak in its weekly report was at the Waldorf School of Bend.

The school's interim director, Nate Brocious, told NewsChannel 21 on Thursday that the OHA report was inaccurate in its report of seven COVID-19 cases -- three students and four staff or volunteers -- and that the total has actually been five cases.

But Brocious said they are in fact still dealing with positive cases among students and staff members.

"We have five total cases, and again we know that for a fact because we worked very closely with Deschutes County health on all these cases," Brocious said. "So there is no doubt as to how many confirmed cases there are."

Out of the 62 students and 14 staff, two of the COVID-19 cases are students. The other three are faculty members.

Brocious said the school had to work with the Oregon Department of Education to create a blueprint for reopening.

Waldorf also operates as an emergency child care facility, which allows it to stay open, unlike many public schools, in accordance with the governor's Executive Order 20-12 and ODE's Early Learning Division.

Brocious said staff and students have used face masks or face shields, and in some cases both at the same time.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention currently recommends not to use face shields in place of masks.

When we asked Brocious if the school had any regrets, he replied, "I try not to live with a lot of regret. I think really, it's about saying, 'What can we learn from this?' Because we have to be learning. There is always something to be learned, from every case."