St. Joseph students return to school after being cleared from covid-19 exposure

About 15 students at St. Joseph High School in Harrison worked from home for two days until it was confirmed they had no contact with a person from another school who had tested positive for coronavirus, a school spokesperson said Wednesday.

“Our soccer team played Serra Catholic over the weekend and someone at Serra came down with covid,”said Shane Palumbo, admissions and public relations director.

On Sunday, the diocese announced that more than 40 Serra students and football staff were under quarantine because a person involved with the team at the McKeesport school had tested positive for covid-19. The players are prohibited from practicing or playing games for at least two weeks and the school was closed on Monday.

“The situation with the individual associated with the Serra Catholic football team overlapped with the soccer team,” Palumbo said. “Although the Allegheny County Health Department advised Serra Catholic that there was minimal risk, out of an abundance of caution, school representatives reached out to inform us.”

There are about 15 students on the soccer team, Palumbo said. St. Joseph has a total enrollment of 140 students in grades 9 to 12.

The students worked remotely for two days and were able to return to school Wednesday once St. Joseph “had enough information to know it was safe to send them back into the classroom,” Palumbo said.

At St. Joseph High School, students are in school Mondays through Thursdays and work remotely on Fridays.

The school will go back to in-person classes five days a week starting at the end of the month, Palumbo said.

The school hosted a virtual open house on Wednesday . An in-person open house is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 7. Families must register online at saintjosephhs.com for both events.