12 Summit HS students have COVID-19 after big party; free testing offered Friday
(Update: Case number confirmed; details of testing, letter about Summit girls' soccer team; Bend High cohort exposure)
Free COVID-19 testing Friday at Pilot Butte; girl's soccer team affected
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – Bend-La Pine Schools released the details of free COVID-19 testing being offered on Friday amid an outbreak involving at least a dozen Summit High School students after a large weekend party.
Meanwhile, Summit's principal informed parents that someone associated with the girl’s soccer team was among those who have tested positive for the virus.
Here's the letter sent to Bend-La Pine families on Thursday evening:
Bend-La Pine Schools and Deschutes County Health Services have teamed up to offer a free rapid COVID-19 testing clinic for local students, staff, and families on Friday, February 12 at Pilot Butte Middle School in Bend.
Deschutes County Health Services
Free rapid COVID-19 testing
Friday, February 12
11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Pilot Butte Middle School Gymnasium*
1501 NE Neff Rd
*This event is being held at Pilot Butte Middle School due to its central location and accessibility, not due to any nexus of cases within the school.
Those who plan to attend the event are asked to complete this survey, which will aid in staffing and testing supply planning. The survey simply asks that you share the number of persons in your family who plan to partake in the event tomorrow.
This testing event is being held to help identify and assess the potential presence of COVID-19 in the school community and the community as a whole; to encourage any children or adults who attended gatherings unmasked and without practicing social distancing, over the weekend, to take advantage of the free testing; to provide tests to anyone who was not at a gathering but was in contact with someone who was; and for the broader school community to obtain a COVID-19 test at no cost and without a physician appointment.
District and County COVID-19 case investigators are continuing to contact trace COVID-19 exposures (potentially both primary and secondary exposures) following a large party in Bend over the weekend.
At the time of the writing of this message, students from one area high school appear to be among a cluster of 12 COVID-19 positive youth, identified in the last +/-24 hours, who may have connections to the party. There are currently no other known clusters of students.
You are encouraged to send your students and/or family members to this event if they may have had contact with someone five or more days ago who has since tested positive for COVID-19. Those under the age of 15 will need the consent of a parent or guardian to complete testing. Test results will be available approximately 15 minutes after your test is complete.
HEALTH SAFETY RESPONSE TO WEEKEND GATHERINGS
In addition to being tested for COVID-19, individuals who attended, or who plan to attend, gatherings where social distancing and masking are not in place are urged to isolate. We also encourage any other household members of these persons to quarantine to help protect the public. We encourage all families to review the attached documents to learn more about Isolation and Quarantine .
Deschutes County Health Services also encourages anyone who may have been in contact with a person or persons positive with COVID-19, and/or who live with elderly or medically fragile family members, to consider isolating from those family members and assume the youth or adult may be contagious.
Deschutes County Health Services has staff available by phone to answer questions about COVID-19, isolation, and quarantine. You can contact them at (541) 699-5109. You are also welcome to contact your school nurse or principal.
For more information about your test and results, please check out these two informational flyers: Understanding your Test Results and Thanks for Getting Tested.
Sincerely,
Dr. George Conway
Director of Deschutes County Health Services
Lora Nordquist, interim Superintendent
Bend-La Pine Schools
Meanwhile, Summit Principal Michael McDonald informed Storm girl soccer players and families on Thursday that they learned someone associated with the team has been diagnosed with COVID-19. That person was last at soccer practice on Monday.
While the district assesses exposure and risk levels, contacting people as appropriate, the school asked the athletes to quarantine at home until the investigation is complete.
While Summit also sent a letter to parents of Cohort B students about a possible exposure, Bend Senior High Principal Christopher Reese sent a letter Thursday indicating students in Cohort A may have been exposed to someone diagnosed with COVID-19 who was at the school on Monday.
That makes Bend High the seventh Bend-La Pine school to send home letters regarding COVID-19 exposures. Others include Summit and Mountain View high schools and High Lakes, North Star, Elk Meadow and La Pine elementary schools.
Earlier story:
Just three days into a return to in-person classes, Summit High School returned to distance learning Thursday and will offer free testing Friday after a number of positive COVID-19 cases, possibly tied to a party last weekend attended by dozens of local youths, officials said.
Principal Michael McDonald, who sent home a letter earlier Wednesday about a single positive case of COVID-19 at the school, sent a second to parents later Wednesday evening, saying that parents had reached out and made the school “aware of additional positive cases of COVID-19 in our community.”
“Out of an abundance of caution,” McDonald wrote, “and in partnership with health officials,” Summit was closed Thursday for in-person classes, as well as athletics and activities, so the school and Deschutes County health officials can conduct more case investigation and contact tracing.
Students returned to comprehensive distance learning Thursday, as well as Friday, the latter day announced late last week throughout the district so educators and school staff can receive their second COVID-19 vaccine doses. All athletics and activities are canceled over the Presidents Day weekend.
McDonald said the school and county health officials were working to offer free testing Friday for people who believe they have been exposed. The Deschutes County Health Department expects to test anywhere from 50 to 100 students.
Deschutes County Health Department Environmental Specialist Emily Freeland told NewsChannel 21 on Thursday that the testing will be specifically for students who may have come in contact with other students who have tested positive. Freeland also said the timing of the test is crucial.
“If I was exposed yesterday, and then I take a test today, even if I have COVID-19, I won’t test positive," Freeland said. "So we really want to focus on the students that felt that they may have been exposed last weekend. They would want to test now, because they are going to have the most accurate results.”
Parents were urged to send students to the event, if they believe they may have been in contact with someone with COVID-19. The principal also said school sanctions won’t be levied against students who get the test and may have been at the party.
“To say that I am disappointed that dozens of local youths were in attendance at a confirmed party, unmasked and crowded together, would be a gross understatement,” McDonald wrote, adding that “it remains quite plausible that the party may have created a ‘super-spreader’ environment, jeopardizing our ability to return to school and school-related events."
Bend-La Pine Schools Director of Communication and Safety Julianne Repman told NewsChannel 21 that similar letters about individual cases were sent Wednesday to Mountain View High School parents and previously to parents of students at High Lakes, North Star, Elk Meadow and La Pine elementary schools.
And here's McDonald's earlier letter about a positive COVID-19 case who was at the school Tuesday:
I wonder if the parents who let their children attend this party have any overlap with the parents that were demanding their children return to in-person learning
That wouldn’t surprise me in the least. And obviously they don’t encourage mask wearing either. Such a disappointment on the parents as well as the students who all know better.
Word is the party was a sweet 16, attend by upwards of 100 Summit students. The parents of the girl are claiming they were out of town.
What a joke. What a bunch of fools!!!
What I was told this was an 18th birthday of a boy, and was also a back to school party…go figure. One of the parents/hosts was a teacher. More details will be coming I am also told.
Folks, rumors are dangerous. Even without names or unsubstantiated claims of criminality, they can be toxic. Debating whether to allow them, but if I allow one… don’t be surprised to see them gone. Moderator’s judgment call on “offensive.”
Are you a real human? Did you ever go to High School or have a child that did? Weekend teenage house parties are ingrained in the fabric of our society! And when you throw in the limited interactions teens have had to endure, only a fool of a parent would think that kids weren’t going to congregate!
And I know you and I both always told our parents exactly where we were going on a Friday or Saturday night but not all children are as lucky as our parents!
I wonder if any of these children will even feel any symptoms?
Teachers, and school administrators have gotten fat, lazy, and comfortable this past year.
If I could keep getting a taxpayer paycheck without having to got work.
You should all be ashamed of yourselves!
And what have you done since March? If you have not been an employee of Bend-La Pine Schools you are just spouting off ignorant comments. Employees have put in more time than their paycheck or salary has paid for. You are ignorant of current circumstances. But, go Qyou!
Exactly. Qoo Qoo for Qoo Qoo puffs! Zap that virus with a Jewish Space Laser Yee Haw!
While I am not a Qer, I am sure that Qers have more intelligence than a Biden Supporter. A Biden supporter willingly voted to kill our economy, jobs, and America itself
‘While I am not a Qer…’. LOL..you just support these very fine people and post their very fine ideals. Traitor!
I live in a neighborhood with a number of teachers. Last spring after schools shutdown I saw them on any given day loading up mt. bikes, golf clubs, and camping gear. And once Mt Bach opened up lots of trips to the mountain. Those were the public school teachers, now I will say the private school teachers leave from work daily.
Molonlabe….right, we believe you. You have no shame telling falsehoods, just like most Republicans. We get it, you don’t like public school teachers, but please stop telling blatant lies to try and make your point.
I’ve seen it too. Neighbor is a teacher and has been milking this for all its worth.
So anything that goes against your chosen beliefs at the time, accurate or not, is a falsehood? Guess that is one way to justify yourself. I know a medical professional who said any other medical professional who does not believe as she does is a quack? You two might get alone well….
Until you can prove otherwise, you are just spouting the party line of lies about Republicans like a good little snowflake leftist. But, Hey, No Worries, Be Happy China Joe Obiden will fix everything!!!
My sister is also a teacher and she has had more time on her hands than ever. So it is you that speak falsehoods just to spread you false narrative. You are shameless like the the rest of you leftists
Teachers are fairly compensated for a job that has three months off during
the summer, plus a week off for Christmas, and time off for other holidays,
as well as benefiting from a lucrative PERS retirement program…
Their salary does pay for working “extra” hours. Unless their contract is different,
they get paid the same amount if they work 40 hours a week or 60 hours a week. That’s a risk you take if you have a salary based job, and they know that when they are hired. If they think it is unfair, they need to take it up with their union representatives, or get a different job…
I don’t have any sympathy for teachers and most Government employees, except for
police and firefighters…
You dumb
“You dumb ”
–
I’m dumb ? Your comment makes it very obvious that you can’t even manage to write a simple sentence that makes sense. I’m guessing you I.Q is in the single digits, and that’s being very generous…
Yup, you dumb. You can’t even end a sentence with a single period. Go back to elementary grammar school. And, while you’re at it, correct “you” last sentence.
might want to be careful criticizing grammar if you don’t even understand the multiple periods…..
Ah, my guess is that you’re falling asleep, kinda like you did in sixth grade last year.
Who gets three months off? Not the teachers I know. They go to school to keep certification, prepare for the next school year, finish grading and closing their classrooms, and a lot more. During the school year that students are there hey also put in several hours at night at home correcting papers, making lesson plans, meeting with parents, chaperoning evening or weekend events, etc. Try having a little understanding and respect for someone who probably spends more time with a child than anyone else except for their parents.
are you complaining because you have no skills, work for chump change, don’t belong to a union and worship rich people who suck the life out of workers? – well, bummer for you
well said.
The lucrative PERS thing is pretty much athing of the past. It has been reformed twice but the concept has become so ingrained in public thinking that it has virtually become legend.
That’s OK I have no sympathy for you.
Lucrative PERS? HA! Tier one was really good, tier two was 68% worse and tier 3 is not a legitimate retirement plan. Everyone hired by the state after 2003 is tier three. Tier 3 people can expect around a 900$ monthly check in retirement. Facts.
You have no perspective or basis for this idiocy. Educational staff are not “taking time off,” and have had to reinvent the process. They’re THE most vocal people wanting to go back to in-person.
Why don’t you shop around for an analytical thought process, or something?
oh my goodness – what a self-absorbed, pampered, clueless windbag you are
Careful your tremendous hate and ignorance is showing!
Hey Hayha ~ blah blah blah. Your mind is on vacation and your mouth is working overtime.
What a totally ignorant comment to make. All school staff have been putting in extra hours for the past 10 months – many hours not paid for at all. If you don’t know anything learn to keep your uninformed opinions to yourself. You are showing everyone your ignorance.
Go to*
Ha-Haaaa… There goes Da-Shoots County steppin’ on their tail again ! Them loudmouths out in Bend and Redmond show up here all day long talkin’ smack gettin all self-righteous about how their poo don’t stink- ready to move outta the world of “Extreme Risk” to simple “High Concern”… and look what happens ! Now… whatchu wanna bet Kovid Kate lets this pass- lets it slide- turns a blind eye ! Because ??? Much like “Russia-Russia-Russia”… this whole year long charade has been a hoax ! And Kate simply can’t milk any more milk from the cow ! Moooo- hooo- hooo ! Cry me a river losers- them folks out in Crook County- with their schools and businesses open- are laughing in your face !
You seriously need a Rubber room, Stat!
“Them loudmouths” – coming from you…. priceless
This person sits here and has manic episodes right in front of us, and nothing is done to try to get them help.
Hey toxic BGHW…your rant makes me think of a Mose Allison song. “Your mind is on vacation and your mouth is working overtime”.
Get along little doggie. Take your bark elsewhere.
Oregon needs to fund more mental health initiatives. You’d benefit immensely from that help, and hopefully you’d have fewer delusional rants.
Where do you get off Crooks Country Facebook boy?
Can’t even get the idiot adults to follow guidelines. What do you expect from their teenagers?
Valid point for sure!
This is not a surprise. The ridiculously absurd conservative approach to this pandemic our schools are displaying is terrible. To say “Out of an abundance of caution” by McDonald sums up the last year. This virus is not ever going away. Most other aspects of society have leaned to work with it, follow the science. Get back to in person, or quit! Enough of abusing our children, holding them hostage in the name of control.
The unions of our two biggest teacher unions want to go back to in-person instruction overwhelmingly!
Defund teachers
You have parents that can’t follow the laws & the kids follow suit
Newsflash Bend69….Fuhrer Brown is not issuing laws, she is making up mandates that are not legal!
Yep but who is causing the school to get? Dumb fools like you and your kids who ignore the mandates! It’s amazes me how we have to treat and waste time caring for ignorant clowns like you.
Like these clowns have any idea how the kid got the covid. It’s so easy to assume. The school district is run by clowns.
You need to pull your head out of wherever it has been stuck and get a clue.
It’s obvious that LUVTHEVIEW works for the school district, read the comments through out this article…..
I do have to ask, when you posted this comment at 945am, was that during your union break or during class time? I Feel sorry for the youth, the vast majority of the educators and influencers in Bend La Pine School district are failures….I have seen the webxs my childern attend, what a joke of an education.
You’re cute. I am absolutely NOT a teacher. Never been a teacher. Never want to be a teacher. I do have a job that hasn’t got a thing to do with the school district (ever heard of remote workers?). I have kids that have gone through BLPS and know many more that are in BLPS. I also know many teachers and am related to a few as well (from several school districts in the USA) I love how you are concerned with what I do with my own personal time. Never fear – tax dollars were never used to pay for my income. Cute though.
I agree 100%. We saw the attitude of teachers on display when Jefferson county teacher “Karen” went richter on video a month or so ago.
My kid’s teachers are crushing online learning! I am very impressed.
Now look what you have done. The community is very,very ,very disappointed with all of you. If you dare let this happen again,penalty’s will be severe. Don’t you know it is a privilege.to attend government school.
The nerve , you attend a non government approved sanctioned event , that just cost you a little. You’r Libertys will be curtailed until further notice.
You are a poster child for how well educated, yet belligerent, conservatives are.
Keep trying I know I can I know I can think harder
Huh? Never went to school to learn punctuation I see!
You can’t even communicate. Please don’t try to stand on some hill telling everyone that you’ve figured things out when you aren’t able to manage basic communication. This is conservatism.
I blame the parents.
If these idiots are gonna shut everything down with one case they shouldn’t even bother opening at all. There will always end up being some case.
An article last week named Redmond as the hot spot for infections in Deschutes Co.
OSU trace analysis suggest Redmond infection rate at 3%. Even my feeble mind comes up with 97% not infected. The principal at the Bend school said the kids that went to the party will not be sanctioned. “Drink the koolaid! It’s good for you! Set yourself free!” At least know we can use drones for pictures of the aftermath
Just more falsehoods from the Covid Fake Checkers. A Peer Review analysis showed that the infection rate was grossly exaggerated by 1600%
Just love how everyone with zero knowledge is such an authority on why it’s shut down. The school made the right decision.
Many more than 1 case had confirmed at the school. They know where/when it happened because kids are dumb and posted pics of the party on social media. Many of that are positive are in the party pics.
Finally doesn’t really have anything to do with the actual in person school but instead to make sure those that haven’t shown symptoms are isolated from the general population. Kids don’t always come clean about being at a party…weird.
Teacher work ethic has zero to do with the situation.
Here wasnt any school on Friday or Monday already so really so far it’s a one day cancellation.
Bend Local 12- your post is a bit rambling and all over the place… so if I may… According to the CDC- the school did not make the right decision. A thousand times outside the chance of getting hit by lighting- twice in the same day- different locations- is about the same odds of a teenager dying from this mild virus ! On the contrary- lack of social interaction has a million times more long term negative effects than 10 days down with the flu ! I’m not really sure what you are promoting- a virus free school ? That has never happened and it never will- these kids should be developing herd immunity- instead their immune systems are becoming weaker and weaker by the day. Not to mention- there are Kate Brown mandated EO’s at the school- under the threat of fines and punishment by Oregon OSHA and Michael Wood ! Acting like an insider- are you telling us that Summit High School is non-compliant with Kovid Kate’s mandates ??? If so- there’s yer problem !
It honestly doesn’t matter if there are positive covid kids. We have a vaccine now for the vulnerable (aka those that are old) Just like the flu, we have to learn to live with it because it will likely never go away. Just like the flu, those that are vulnerable can take care of themselves and get the vaccine. After all, the mortality rate is only slightly higher than the flu anyway at a mere .26% according to the CDC and this number is even backed up further by OSUs TRACE program.
Those of us who were pushing for another month of at-home learning were soundly ignored. This re-closure was very easy to predict. Expect more failed re-openings between now and the end of March, when it will actually be safe to re-open. And I see comments are sinking to a new level, even in BGHW’s absence. Makes me worry about my fellow central Oregonians. But then we (some of us) support Greg Walden for 20 years.
Lets see if you can follow this. The party was held at a private residence, which the school district has no authority over. Bend schools require all students while on campus to following predetermined protocols. Amazing though you have the inside track that at the end of March we can come out of hiding. Do you also have the exact time?
Exactly. Opening MS/HS was 4-6 weeks premature. They only listened to the loud, bully voices in making their decision. Supposedly school in Bend was re-opened for kids’ mental health. Wonder how these sudden shut downs are for their mental health? Redmond School District at least recognized they were making a mistake and adjusted their reopening. And your right, the comments section on here is a cesspool of Dunning-Krueger. I need to stay off of here. It’s not good for my mental health!
A bunch of spoiled, rich kids who think the rules do not apply to them…future DUII recipients of Bend, Oregon…
And the family members their entitlement has put at risk is shameful. No consideration for anyone around them, Entitlement is a dangerous disease for others.
Future? Many were drinking that night. There are pics going around showing that this was a huge party. The one I saw had a DJ and club lighting and could probably count 50+ in one pic alone. I will be surprised if charges are not filed against the parents on this.
Something sounds off. If the party was attended 5 days ago, the students already started testing positive by Tuesday and Wednesday? That doesn’t track with the CDC and the OHA data or guidence. What gives??
You ever notice that KTVZ provides almost 100% of these stories without actually quoting an acting physician ??? I’ve asked a hundred times for them to go out and do a local news interview with any single medical professional out there to get to the heart of the pandemic- instead you get mild suggestions to visit the OHA- or some high level bureaucrat mooching for more federal funding. The anatomy of a hoax starts with misinformation and fear mongering on a daily basis… and now the whole charade is unfolding !
With all of the denial, hoaxers, why would any physician want to try to turn the tide on stupidity?
I guess stupidity and the resulting impact isn’t unique to Crook County.
WAIT A MINUTE!! I thought these things only happened in Crook County?!?!
Just send them into quarantine and stop worrying. They will be fine.
The boys may be sterile and they could all have permanent heart and lung damage but what the heck they aren’t your kids. Are they going to keep to the quarantine like the followed the rules last week?
News flash- None of us are getting out of this without getting Covid or the vaccine. Pick your poison and get it over with. Focus on doing what you can to help your body fight it.
Yes teenagers are selfish. Yes they make stupid choices… But with C19 and the outcome of exposure to a friend, family member and possibly death, their behavior is pretty inexcusable.
This is not the fault of Kate Brown or the school district…it falls directly into the lap of those involved. I know of families with teens who teach respect of others. I know parents of terms who teach them to think of others and their behavioral outcome.
It’s a hard time. It “sucks” in a teenagers words. But, I would hate to see an elder die because of another’s selfish behavior. Which has occurred multiple times this past year. Weddings, family gatherings etc. Google the cases if you don’t believe.
Entitlement is a curious thing. So is perspective. Too much of the first going on and little of the second.
I am all for closing the schools and let teachers teach from home. Sell the buildings and grounds give the money back to the taxpayers.
It’s not free testing. I’m paying for it with my property tax.
Congratulations to School Administrators and the Media! It was truly impressive to watch the giddiness that came with shaming children for being children and catching the flu!!!
It wasn’t the flu it was covid. Did you read the article?
Maybe you can clarify the difference- because even the OHA disagrees with your tantrum ! At one time “Influenza Like Illness” was the terminology of choice when referring to both the flu and the China V- Go ahead- go back and look at the historical data ! Then without explanation- Kate Brown and the OHA decided to switch the terminology to “Covid Like Illness”… Now declaring that since October of last year- the Flu has just vanished ! This is not the work of real science- this is playing with terms and definitions to keep you confused- which you are- cause to cut to the chase “covid aint ebola” so stop acting like it is ! The hoax is unraveling hour by hour- we now know for a fact that the media worked hand in hand with NY Governor Cuomo to manipulate the death count in NY after he forced infected Sr Citizens into living centers with healthy people- infecting them all and killing thousands ! Pennsylvania- Michigan- NY- New Jersey- all States that went to Biden- engaged in the same horrific policy to try and make President Trump look bad- these people all died because Demokrats hated Trump ! historians will prove this because the modern media hack won’t admit what they’ve all done ! This is Murder !
So What? That gives the media and School administrators the right to publicly shame children? Considering the lack of scientific evidence that this “COVID” is any more dangerous to anyone under 50 than a cold, I really think their actions are/were at best negligent and most likely, criminal.
You clowns need a dress code in school Back in my day they would have ben sent home & parents contacted
Sent home and parents contacted, oh my!
It’s safe to open schools- all they have to do is follow some simple rules. Oh yeah- they are just kids…. rules?
Kids will be kids, not all parents are aware of their actions 24/7. Parents for the most part try to do the right thing. With the unknowns about COVID, I don’t see any of the people involved wanting this to happen. Bad decisions happen to all of us at one time or another. The few on here living in glass houses, preaching like they have never made a mistake, know that they have themselves made mistakes in life at one point. Move on, make better decisions the next time.
Hey Barney, will you kindly follow up on how many of these kids ended up in the hospital or worse. My guess is zero.
That information is not released, of course, due to federal patient privacy regulations, as we’ve said and noted for a year now. If any are that serious, which was not said by the principal, word could come from friends or family.