Director of The Academy in Palm Desert reportedly tests positive for the coronavirus

The Academy of Palm Desert Community Presbyterian Church is closing for the rest of the week after the school’s director reportedly tested positive for the coronavirus. Some parents are concerned the school is not being completely safe amid the pandemic.

One parent sent a video to News Channel 3 showing a teacher they saw -with her face uncovered - picking up a child from another parent.

The school’s coronavirus safety procedures states that “teachers will wear face coverings.”

One parent, who chose to remain anonymous, said in a statement, "We were told that the teachers would be wearing masks and several do not wear masks. The director also seems to not always wear a mask because we’ve had conversations with her during which she wasn’t wearing a mask."

School director Reichel Ainsworth has now tested positive for coronavirus, according to emails from Ainsworth herself, forwarded to News Channel 3 by a parent. The email says she will be out for 10 to 14 days.

The school would not answer our questions or confirm whether Ainsworth tested positive but did provide News Channel 3 with the following statement:

“In order to protect the health of everyone involved, we are closing the next two days, giving the facility a deep clean, having every teacher tested, obeying the CDC guidelines, so that we can open when it is safe.”

While the school will be closing its doors for a few days, some parents fear that’s not long enough because of the incubation period.

One parent said in a statement, "We will not be sending our child back on Monday because the school only closed for two days and we want to see if anyone else tests positive before sending him back."

According to Ainsworth's message to families, she has limited interaction with the students. News Channel 3 attempted to contact Ainsworth directly but has not yet received a response.