South Butler school staffer positive for covid-19; classes resume as planned

An educator who works with children at two South Butler public schools has tested positive for covid-19, the district reports.

The district learned of the employee’s test results late Thursday afternoon, according to Superintendent David Foley. The person now isolating at home rotates between South Butler Primary School and South Butler Intermediate Elementary School.

Both facilities were “thoroughly sanitized,” and classes resumed as scheduled on Friday.

While awaiting assistance from the state Department of Health, the district began the process of contact tracing — based on guidance that includes identifying students and staff who may have been closer than 6 feet to the infected staffer for more than 15 minutes without a mask, Foley said.

“We believe at this time that no students would be identified as a close contact, as the teacher provides instruction with a mask and students are wearing masks throughout the school day,” Foley wrote in a letter sent to the district’s parents and caregivers and posted online.

The cases in Butler County follow a slew of minor outbreaks at schools reopening around the region.

Two students of Plum High School contracted the disease, as did two students and a staffer in the Kiski Area School District.

One Burrell High School student has tested positive. Superintendent Sharon Wagner advised parents Friday to be prepared to “make the shift to virtual learning should your child have to quarantine at some point or the district has to switch to all virtual instruction for a period of time.”

Burrell has offered families the choice to enroll their children for in-person or live virtual instruction as well as its cyber school Burrell eAcademy or another cyber school.

On Wednesday, Southmoreland High School in Westmoreland County announced it was shutting down for five days after two people tested positive for the coronavirus disease.

Nine students at Greater Latrobe schools have tested positive for the coronavirus since the school year began on Aug. 30,

The Penn-Trafford School District has had five staffers become infected. Harrison Park Elementary School has two cases. It closed Friday and reopened Wednesday. Level Green Elementary School has eight cases.

Norwin School District on Tuesday reported three student cases — two at the middle school and one at Sunset Valley Elementary School.

Also on Tuesday, two cases were reported in the Belle Vernon Area School District.