COVID-19 cancels Community Expo

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SUNBURY — The Sunbury/Big Walnut Area Chamber of Commerce recently announced the cancellation of its popular Community Expo event for this year.

“We will have this event next spring 2022 at the new Big Walnut High School,” the chamber posted Sept. 14 on Facebook. “We are looking forward to showcasing this amazing new building while serving the community at the same time. Please check back with the Chamber after the first of the year for more details. In the meantime, stay safe and healthy!”

When asked why it was canceled, the chamber posted, “This was a joint decision between the Chamber and the school district. It basically came down to safety during COVID-19. Our hope is that it will not be an issue next spring and we can have this event in the new high school.”

Big Walnut Local Schools has a COVID-19 Dashboard of active student and staff cases on its district website at www.bwls.net. As of Sept. 29, there were 27 active cases. By building, there were four active cases at Big Walnut High School; six active cases at Big Walnut Middle School; seven active cases at Big Walnut Intermediate School; five active cases at Big Walnut Elementary; one active case at General Rosecrans Elementary; one active case at Prairie Run Elementary; three active cases at Hylen Souders Elementary; and no cases at the Early Learning Center at Harrison Street.

The district said it “is committed to accurate and transparent information regarding positive, confirmed cases within our school environment while adhering to the privacy and confidentiality of our students and staff. If your child or a family member is being tested for COVID-19, we ask that your child remain home until you receive a negative test result or as directed by a local health department. Parents are requested to notify your child’s school within 24 hours if your child has a positive case of COVID-19. Please notify the school nurse ([email protected]) and/or attendance line to report a positive case.

“Parents will be notified only when their child is considered a contact of a positive case within the school or co-curricular activity/athletic team,” the district continued. “In the event of an outbreak within a classroom, school, or team, the Delaware Public Health District may issue additional requirements or notifications.”

To report a positive case of COVID-19, visit: https://forms.delawarehealth.org/Forms/COVID19CaseInterview.

“Once you submit your case interview, the health department will provide the District Nurse with a release date for your student to return to school,” said the Big Walnut website. “For students who are identified as a close contact requiring them to quarantine, the health department will provide the District Nurse with a return date. As long as the student has not had COVID-19 like symptoms, did not test positive for COVID-19 while in quarantine, had additional cases of COVID-19 within the home, or had additional contacts with a COVID-19 positive case, they are permitted to return to school.”

In other district news, at a Big Walnut Board of Education special meeting on July 20, the board approved by a 5-1 vote a sixth amendment to its guaranteed maximum price with Gilbane Building Company. Gilbane is serving as the construction manager at risk for the new high school, the new Prairie Run Elementary, and the athletic fields. The resolution said the amendment called for an increase in the agreement of $223,102 for “the installation of a vehicular drive between the South East parking lot and the East West drive at the South end of the property.” That brings the total contract to $93,432,793.

A bond issue passed by district residents in November 2017 are being used to fund the construction.

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By Gary Budzak

[email protected]

Gary Budzak may be reached at 740-413-0906 or on Twitter @GaryBudzak.

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