Pentucket Regional High School Transitions Temporarily to Remote Learning Following Positive COVID-19 Cases, Close Contacts
WEST NEWBURY — Superintendent Justin Bartholomew reports that the Pentucket Regional High School will transition to fully remote learning tomorrow and Friday following two positive student cases and approximately 25 identified close contacts among students.
The district is aware of isolated, limited close contacts at other district schools, however the high school’s close contact numbers are significantly higher. There is no information that suggests making alterations at other schools in the district is appropriate at this time.
No staff members have been identified as close contacts at this time.
The school district reminds students and residents: If you are not contacted by a local or state public health official, you are not a close contact.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a close contact is someone who is within six feet of an individual who tests positive for COVID-19, for 15 minutes or more.
Of the two positive cases, one student was last in school on Friday, Oct. 2 and tested positive that night. The second positive student case has not been in school since Tuesday, Sept. 29 and tested positive this Monday.
One of the close contacts came into contact with one of the students who tested positive at school. However, the vast majority of the identified close contacts the district is aware of came into contact with another student who tested positive outside of school, during a pick-up recreational sports gathering outside of school hours and unaffiliated with the district.
The district is urging students to practice social distancing and avoid gathering in large groups, even outdoors.
District leadership has decided to transition Pentucket Regional High School from its hybrid learning plan temporarily to fully remote learning for the rest of the week to reduce risk of exposure to the virus among the school community and to allow time for local public health officials to receive test results for the identified close contacts.
All high school athletic programming has also been cancelled until Tuesday, Oct. 12, at the earliest.
An emergency meeting with the School Committee was called at 1:30 p.m. today to discuss the district’s plan.
“Ultimately, with this many close contacts among students, we felt it was our duty to transition to fully remote learning at the high school to allow for these students to get tested over the next few days,” Superintendent Bartholomew said. “The health and wellbeing of our students and staff is our primary concern, at all times, and we need to know if there are any other positive cases connected to our district before students or staff return to the building.”
Students will not follow the fully remote learning plan outlined in the district’s return to school plan tomorrow and Friday as the transition is at this time a temporary one. Instead, students previously participating in the hybrid plan will participate in synchronous learning tomorrow, remotely tuning into their classes following their class schedule.
All students participating in fully remote learning already will continue without any change to their schedule or routine. All other district schools will continue following their hybrid learning plans.
All district stakeholders will be updated on Monday regarding the plan for learning at Pentucket High School as well as athletics.
Students and staff are also urged to continue following state guidance to reduce the risk of COVID-19 including:
- Stay home if you have a fever or are not feeling well. Students should stay home from school should any new or unexplained illness, no matter how mild, develop. This precaution is meant to keep all staff and students safe. To review COVID-19 symptoms, visit the CDC’s website by clicking here.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available.
- Avoid close contact with others. When outside your home, please adhere to social distancing guidelines and keep a distance of at least 6 feet between yourself and others.
- Wear a cloth face covering that covers your mouth and nose to protect others when in public areas.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, then throw the tissue in the trash and wash your hands.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
Children may worry about themselves, their family and friends getting sick with COVID-19. Tips for talking to children about COVID-19 can be found here.
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