2 Hempfield schools to resume remote learning following Thanksgiving break

Students at Hempfield Area High School and Harrold Middle School will resume remote learning following the Thanksgiving break.

According to a letter from Superintendent Tammy Wolicki, students will continue with online learning from Dec. 1-4 because of the number of coronavirus cases in the schools and guidance from the state Department of Education.

District officials moved students at the two schools, along with students at West Point Elementary School, to remote learning this week because of staffing shortages. The high school and West Point were closed Monday and Tuesday, while Harrold was closed only Tuesday.

Students at the high school and Harrold originally were supposed to return to in-person classes Dec. 1. An update on whether West Point students will return to in-person classes on that day was not available.

Since coronavirus numbers were reported by the district last week, there has been an uptick in cases.

For the period of Nov. 9-23, there were 29 cases across district schools, according to a tracker posted on the district’s website. That’s an increase from the 18 cases reported Nov. 6-20.

Cases include:

• One student at Fort Allen Elementary School
• Two staffers at Maxwell Elementary School
• One staffer at Stanwood Elementary School
• One staffer at West Hempfield Elementary School
• Two staffers at West Point Elementary School
• 14 students and one staffer at Hempfield Area High School
• Two students and three staffers at Harrold Middle School
• Two administrators, bus drivers, maintenance workers or food service workers

Presumptive cases include one student at Stanwood, four students at the high school, one student at Harrold, two students at West Hempfield Middle School and two students at Wendover. There are no schools in the district without positive or presumptive cases.

To control the spread of the virus in schools, state officials this week said districts in Westmoreland, Armstrong and Allegheny counties have until Nov. 30 to switch to full remote learning or affirm they are complying with the state’s virus safety measures.

The directive is in effect for all public schools in counties that have experienced a “substantial” level of transmission for at least two consecutive weeks.

In new data released Tuesday by state Department of Health, Westmoreland County set new highs for seven-day total cases, 1,465, and seven-day total deaths, 36. Total cases for the county now stand at 7,886 and 172 deaths.

According to Wolicki, if another school in the district moves to remote learning, an announcement will be made no later than Nov. 30.

“We recognize the challenge this creates for families and will provide as much advance notice as possible,” she said.