Carlynton moving to full-remote learning to address county's hike in covid cases

The Carlynton School District is temporarily moving to full-remote learning in response to the increase in covid cases and new restriction issued by the state.

The change to online-only instruction begins Nov. 23. Students are scheduled to return to a blend of in-person and remote learning Dec. 7.

Under the district’s hybrid instructional model, students in kindergarten through third grade attend in-person classes four days a week. Students in grades four through 12 attend class in person two days a week.

“The district is grateful for the combined efforts of our students, families and staff to create a safe environment where in-person learning has been able to occur for our students,” school officials wrote in a letter on the district website.

“The rapidly increasing number of covid-19 cases in the area is of great concern to both the school district and local health officials,” the letter read. “Subsequent to the increased number of cases, the new state-issued restrictions and the impact this has on our staff, we will temporarily return to five-day remote instruction.”

There is one active covid-19 case in the district affecting a member of the staff at the junior-senior high school, according to a covid tracker created by the district. There were six previous cases there — the highest among district buildings.

Two cases were previously reported at Carnegie Elementary School and one was reported at Crafton Elementary.

Six of the previous positive cases in the district were among students, and three affected staff members.

Fourteen students and five staff members remain in quarantine after potentially being exposed to the virus.

Allegheny County health officials said Nov. 19 was the second consecutive day in which more than 600 new cases of coronavirus were reported.

The 609 additional covid-19 cases reported brings the total case count to 22,043 since the pandemic reached the county in March. The county recorded a record 620 new cases Wednesday.

Allegheny has experienced a 38% increase in covid cases since the beginning of the month.