Norwin reports 2 more covid-19 cases

Two more Norwin elementary school students have tested positive for the coronavirus, the school district announced Saturday morning.

One student attends Sunset Valley Elementary School, which has had covid-19 cases, and the other student attends Sheridan Terrace. This is the first Sheridan Terrace student the school district reported who had tested positive for the coronavirus.

The state Department of Health, in coordination with the school nurses, is studying the two cases to determine if contact tracing is necessary, the district said. None of the 12 Norwin students and staff who previously reported having been infected with the virus contracted it while in school, according to the health department.

Sunset Valley was one of Norwin’s five schools that were closed for three school days before reopening last Tuesday. The high school, middle school, intermediate school and Hahntown Elementary were the other schools that were closed because of students or staff being infected with covid-19.

The only people who need to quarantine are those who have been or will be contacted by the health department, the school nurse or administrator. The Norwin students will not return to school until they have completed isolation procedures for the virus, the district said.

Norwin Superintendent Jeff Taylor on Friday addressed the 21.9% increase of covid-19 cases in the North Huntingdon-Irwin area from Oct. 5 to 12, saying the increase represents only 0.18% of the Norwin area’s population of about 35,000 people. Only 1% of the Norwin area population has tested positive for coronavirus since the pandemic hit the region in March.

Back in school, fully, Nov. 4

Taylor said the district still intends to reopen to full in-school instruction Nov. 4, but if there is an increase in covid-19 cases, the district will move to virtual instruction in two-week segments.

The district offers instruction through a hybrid model — two days in class and three days virtual, with only half of the student body in school for two days at a time, based on the first letter of their last name.