Covid-19 cases among students, staff prompt Highlands to close middle school

Highlands School District announced Sunday that its middle school will move to full remote learning beginning Monday and lasting through the Thanksgiving break because of cases of covid-19 among students and staff.

The temporary closure and full remote learning plan affects the middle school only. All other buildings will operate normally, the district said.

The positive cases were reported to the school’s administration over the weekend, the district’s notice said. It did not say how many cases had been reported. The school has about 800 students in fifth through eighth grades, according to the district.

The middle school will return to the district’s hybrid instruction model on Dec. 1. Under the hybrid model, students are separated into two groups that are in school two days a week and work remotely the other three days, with all students remote on Fridays.

All after-school activities have been canceled. Picture days and shelter-in-place drills will be rescheduled.

“The district has made this decision out of an abundance of caution in hopes to minimize the potential for increased exposure at our middle school,” the district said. “The health and safety of our students and staff continue to be our greatest priority, which is the reason for these proactive measures.”

In late October, the district closed its high school and moved those students to remote learning after a covid-19 case resulted in a significant number of required quarantines. A Highlands football player had tested positive, according to the Greensburg Salem School district, whose team Highlands had played on Oct. 23.