Pentucket Regional School District Urges Caution Amid Increase in COVID-19 Cases

WEST NEWBURY — Superintendent Justin Bartholomew wishes to share that the Pentucket Regional School District has seen an uptick in COVID-19 cases involving students in lower grades in recent weeks.

Fourteen positive COVID-19 cases have been reported at Bagnall Elementary School, including 12 among students. The state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education mandated that two sixth-grade classes be fully tested because of the increased number of positive cases. Four COVID-19 cases have been reported at Page Elementary School.

Through contact tracing, most of the 18 cases were determined to be connected to social gatherings outside of school involving multiple Pentucket district students.

Superintendent Bartholomew recommends that parents have their child tested if there is close contact with someone who has COVID-19, and to keep their child home until they receive a negative test result. Parents of students age 12 and older who have not yet vaccinated their children are urged to do so to help protect them from the virus and curtail its spread.

“The health and well-being of our students and staff is a paramount concern at all times,” Superintendent Bartholomew said. “I ask that parents and guardians use this new data to inform their decisions about their children’s activities outside of school.”