MASSENA -- Massena police are investigating a fake email that claimed to be from the Massena school superintendent and said there are confirmed positive coronavirus cases at Madison Elementary and J.W. Leary Junior High.

In response, Superintendent Pat Brady sent a letter to parents and guardians to let them know that the email was a scam.

“As we are starting to receive concerned calls from parents, I am writing to let everyone know that this information is absolutely false,” Brady said in a letter to parents.

He says the district is trying to be as transparent as possible with regard to coronavirus cases.

“If we do have positive cases, we will confer with Public Health and make decisions accordingly. These decisions will be communicated by official channels as we have done in the past,” Brady wrote.

On the Massena Central website, posted Oct. 19, is an official message from the district announcing a high school staffer tested positive for COVID-19.

“On Friday night we were informed that one of our staff members at the high school level tested positive for COVID-19. After working closely with St. Lawrence County Public Health to assist in the contact tracing process, it is clear that fortunately, the contacts among our staff and students were limited. As a result, some of our staff and a few students have been directed by Public Health to quarantine, but we will not need to close the High School at this time,” the official COVID notification reads. “Please note, if you or your child came in contact with a positive individual you will be contacted directly by Public Health officials. No other positive cases have been identified, but we will continue to work closely with Public Health to assess the situation and will inform you of any new information.”

Below is the entire text of Brady’s letter to parents in response to the scam email:

“It has been brought to my attention that someone is circulating a fake e-mail attributed to me stating that we have students who have tested positive for coronavirus at Madison Elementary School and J. William Leary Junior High School. As we are starting to receive concerned calls from parents, I am writing to let everyone know that this information is absolutely false.

It is unfortunate that with the level of anxiety we are all living under with the coronavirus, that someone would alarm our community by knowingly spread such disturbingly false information. Our staff are working hard everyday to keep all of our students safe and the doors of our schools open. If we do have positive cases, we will confer with Public Health and make decisions accordingly. These decisions will be communicated by official channels as we have done in the past.

We ask that all parents continue to screen their children each morning and keep them home if they are ill. Please continue to stay safe by taking precautions such as mask wearing and social distancing.”

Brady said at this time, he has no further information on the fake email.