3,500 COVID cases reported by schools in 2020; see complete list

Students at St. Brigid's Catholic School in Xenia keep their distance while walking down the hall for a bathroom break Friday, Sept. 25, 2020.

Credit: Jeremy P. Kelley

Credit: Jeremy P. Kelley

Students at St. Brigid's Catholic School in Xenia keep their distance while walking down the hall for a bathroom break Friday, Sept. 25, 2020.

Dayton area schools reported more than 3,500 COVID-19 cases involving students or school employees from Sept. 7 until the end of the year, according to data from the Ohio Department of Health. Statewide, the total was over 36,000.

The data dashboard was the result of a state order requiring schools to report cases to their county health departments within 24 hours of learning of the situation.

Seven of the area’s large school districts reported more than 100 cases this fall — Beavercreek, Lebanon, Springboro, Centerville, Miamisburg, Northmont and Troy. But even Beavercreek’s total of 230 COVID cases (144 students and 86 staff) was not among the 10 highest in the state. Cincinnati Public Schools (600) and Lakota (580) reported the most cases.

On the other hand, hundreds of small individual schools didn’t report a single case to health officials all fall, according to ODH data. Locally, those included the Richard Allen and Montgomery Prep charter schools, as well as the Mother Brunner and Salem Christian religious schools, among many others.

In some instances, schools reported zero cases because their students and staff were working remotely all fall. The state health order only requires schools to report cases involving students or staff who “engaged in on-site instruction, activities, or support services.”

But there were issues with data accuracy and consistency all fall. Some schools reported cases involving remote students anyway. Others reported cases dating back earlier than Sept. 7. Some failed to report cases until weeks after they happened, causing lags and jumps in the data.

The current data posted on the ODH website lists zero COVID cases all fall for any schools in Preble, Knox, Harrison and Vinton counties, even though all four of those counties’ schools had confirmed cases listed in previous weeks’ releases.

Statewide, schools reported over 36,000 COVID-19 cases to ODH this fall — more than 22,000 students and 14,000 school employees. State and local health officials said the vast majority of those cases were contracted outside of schools, adding that schools did a good job with mask and distancing efforts to limit COVID spread.

Most local schools end their holiday breaks and begin classes again on Monday (Jan. 4). But several schools are doing those first days or weeks of classes online. They’re trying to add a buffer between holiday gatherings with a possible risk of coronavirus exposure, and the first day of mixing hundreds of students and staff inside school buildings.

Brookville pushed back their in-person return by two days, to Jan. 6, while Centerville schools are doing two full weeks online before an in-person return Jan. 19.


Combined number of student/staff COVID cases reported at all Dayton-area schools since Sept. 7

MONTGOMERY COUNTY

135 — Centerville

125 — Miamisburg

120 — Northmont

76 — Kettering

71 — Oakwood

71 — Huber Heights

70 — Dayton

69 — Vandalia-Butler

62 — Mad River

60 — West Carrollton

48 — Alter HS

44 — Miami Valley CTC

39 — Brookville

34 — Carroll HS

31 — Dayton Christian

26 — New Lebanon

22 — Spring Valley Academy

19 — Valley View

19 — Incarnation (Centerville)

18 — Trotwood-Madison

17 — Montgomery Co. ESC

17 — Northridge

16 — Chaminade Julienne

13 — Bishop Leibold (both)

11 — St. Charles (Kettering)

11 — Temple Christian (Dayton)

9 — Miami Valley School … Gloria Dei Montessori

8 — St. Helen (Dayton) … Dayton Regional STEM School

7 — Ascension (Kettering) … St. Peter (Huber Hts) … East Dayton Christian

6 — Pathway School … Holy Angels (Dayton) … St. Albert (Kettering) … Dayton Early College Academy

5 — St. Christopher (Vandalia)

3 — Our Lady of the Rosary (Dayton) … Miami Valley Academies

2 — St. Anthony (Dayton) … Trotwood Prep and Fitness … Dayton Leadership Academies … Horizon Science Downtown … Klepinger School … Emerson Academy

1 — North Dayton School … Immaculate Conception (Dayton) … Liberty HS (Dayton)

0 — Jefferson Twp., Horizon Science Academy, City Day School, DECA Prep, Richard Allen, Dayton SMART, Montgomery Prep, Summit Academy Dayton, Dayton Business Tech HS, Urban Early College Network, Gem City HS, Mother Brunner, St. Benedict the Moor, Dominion Academy, Salem Christian, Huber Heights Christian, Hillel Academy, Bethel Baptist, Covenant Christian, Germantown Christian, Alexandria Montessori, Creative World of Montessori, Dayton Montessori Society, Montessori Center of South Dayton, The Goddard School, AJP Academy, Allen-James Academy, Longfield Prep, Meadowcrest Academy, Thessaloniansa Academy, Unlocking Potential Academy, Center for Adolescent Services

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GREENE COUNTY

230 — Beavercreek

99 — Fairborn

62 — Bellbrook

47 — Xenia

34 — Legacy Christian

34 — Greene Co. JVS

26 — Greeneview

5 — St. Luke

5 — Greene Co. ESC

4 — Cedar Cliff

3 — St. Brigid

3 — Bethlehem Lutheran

1 — Yellow Springs

1 — Fairborn Digital Academy

0 — Summit Academy Xenia, Dayton Islamic School, Bright Beginnings, Creative World of Montessori Beavercreek, Solid Rock Academy, Spark Ling Academy, Turner Learning Center

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MIAMI COUNTY

102 — Troy

89 — Tipp City

80 — Piqua

63 — Milton-Union

62 — Bethel

45 — Upper Valley Career Center

40 — Covington

33 — Miami East

26 — Newton

21 — Troy Christian HS

15 — Troy Christian Elem

9 — Piqua Catholic

6 — St. Patrick

4 — Miami Co. ESC

3 — Piqua Christian

3 — Nicholas School

1 — Piqua SDA School

0 — Miami Montessori, Christ the King, Willow Farms

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NORTHERN WARREN COUNTY

190 — Lebanon

162 — Springboro

71 — Franklin

64 — Carlisle

47 — Waynesville

46 — Warren Co. JVS

33 — Bishop Fenwick

32 — Warren Co. ESC

31 — Middletown Christian

3 — CHESS Christian

3 — CinDay Academy

0 — Lebanon Christian

Source: Ohio Department of Health

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