Leelanau School staff, students test negative for COVID

File photo of Leelanau School president Rob Hansen.

From staff reports

The Leelanau School, the private boarding school just north of Glen Arbor, reported in a media release today that no new COVID-19 cases have been found among the student body and staff.

As reported last week, post-arrival testing of the campus community revealed four positive student test results for COVID. Because all students and staff were also tested prior to returning for fall term, these were likely the result of exposure that occurred during travel to campus the prior week. According to the school, the affected students were immediately isolated in a separate dormitory, results were promptly reported to the health department, and parents, students, and staff were informed. 

The school then elected to implement a 14-day quarantine of the entire residential student body and affected staff to ensure the most cautious response.

“While this was not necessarily required for all students, we elected to operate with full community commitment rather than create a fragmented population,” said school president Rob Hansen. “All students remained in good health throughout the process.”

As an added precaution, a re-testing of all students and staff occurred at the end of the 14-day quarantine period. All staff and students tested negative.

All students have returned to pre-quarantine in-person instructional model, which keeps in place all necessary masking, distancing, and sanitizing precautions.

The Leelanau School says it is appreciative of the support offered by the greater community, and especially the expertise and responsiveness of the Benzie-Leelanau District Health Department. “Our mission is to secure the intellectual, emotional, and physical safety of our community, today and into the future.”