Plum students who attended a parent-sponsored homecoming party Saturday should not come to school

Plum School District officials are asking students who participated in a non-district homecoming dance to stay home from school Tuesday after it was learned one of the students at the dance tested positive for coronavirus.

A high school student with the virus attended a Class of 2021 Senior Parent Committee’s Homecoming Dance on Saturday at Five Pines Barn, according to a district letter to families.

“It was not a school-sponsored event which makes contact tracing problematic,” the letter reads. “In addition, we were made aware that masks were not required at all times during the parent sponsored event.”

As a result, the district, with preliminary guidance from the Allegheny County Health Department, requested all students who attended the event to stay home at least on Tuesday.

District personnel conducted preliminary contact tracing to identify those individuals who might have been in close contact with the student in school on Friday, as well as those students who came with the infected person to the party.

The letter said school nurses were contacting more than 150 families of students who attended the event, as well as those students who attend other schools, including some in Ohio.

“We believe that all students who attended the event will need to quarantine for 14 days, but (we) are awaiting guidance from ACHD,” the letter read.

More information will be sent to families once more guidance is received, according to the letter.

District officials encourage parents to check their children for any covid-19 symptoms, and to contact their health care provider and school nurse if any are found.