Norwin holds to Nov. 4 school reopening; no students, staff got virus at school, district says
Norwin school officials said that the district still is planning to resume the five-day in-person instruction on Nov. 4, even though the number of covid-19 cases are rising in the North Huntingdon-Irwin area and Westmoreland County.
School Superintendent Jeff Taylor said in an email statement this week that the district would postpone the start of in-person instruction in two week intervals if the state Department of Health determines that there are substantial cases in the schools and in North Huntingdon, Irwin and North Irwin.
The district received a report this week that one student at Hahntown Elementary School tested positive for coronavirus. Taylor said that student had not been at school for several days under the hybrid model of two days of in-class instruction and three days of virtual learning.
Norwin reopened five of its schools — high school, middle school, elementary school and Hahntown and Sunset Valley elementaries — on Tuesday after being closed last week because of an outbreak of the virus.
Some parents criticized the school district's reopening plans this week in light of the increase in cases in Westmoreland County.
The county on Thursday saw its highest single-day jump in covid-19 cases, increasing by 148. The numbers in the Norwin area are not rising as much as they are across the county, Taylor said.
While there were 64 more cases of coronavirus cases reported from Oct. 5-12, increasing the total to 356 since the pandemic hit in March, Taylor said the increase represents only 0.18% of the school district’s 35,000 population. Of the 64 new cases, only 12 were students or Norwin staff and none of the students or staff contracted the virus while in school, according to health department contact tracing.
When the district learns about a student or staff member testing positive, that area will be cleaned with commercial and hospital-grade electrostatic sprayers. This product is used to routinely sanitize high-touch areas, such as door handles and jambs, locker banks, bathroom fixtures and handrails, Taylor said.
Joe Napsha is a TribLive reporter covering Irwin, North Huntingdon and the Norwin School District. He also writes about business issues. He grew up on Neville Island and has worked at the Trib since the early 1980s. He can be reached at jnapsha@triblive.com.
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