More than 1,000 letters were sent to Windsor High School students and staff today (June 1) notifying them if they need to be tested for tuberculosis.
Between 75 and 100 of those included a recommendation for the student or staff to be tested, said Windsor Superintendent Joel B. Holland.
The notifications were sent out after the district found out May 25 that someone associated with the high school had been diagnosed with an active case of TB.
Nearly 60 parents, students and staff members turned out Tuesday night (May 31) to learn more about the disease and ask questions at a parent forum held at Windsor High School. The forum was led by a panel of medical experts along with district and state officials.
"I honestly think all of the kids (high school students) should have been tested,” said Windsor High parent Heather Baker of Imperial. “My youngest daughter will be a junior this coming year. I wouldn’t mind having her tested.”
Baker said her oldest daughter, who’s a junior in college, is required to be tested for TB every year to participate in the education program.
“Are the teachers tested (for TB) every year at Windsor?” Baker asked.
“We have not done TB testing for staff,” Superintendent Joel Holland said.
"It's not that we didn't want to be proactive,” he said. “We didn't know we had to.”
Holland said those who got recommendations to be tested may be tested from 3:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 8, at the high school.
Special accommodations will be made for those who can’t be tested on that date, Holland said.
The blood test will be free, he said.
"For the individuals who have been identified to be tested, there will not be a cost to them,” he said.
District officials said once those test results come back, they’ll determine how to proceed.
Several adults and one student spoke at the forum on Tuesday night.