Penn-Trafford High School to remain open despite new coronavirus cases

Penn-Trafford High School will remain open despite three recent coronavirus cases among students and one involving a staff member, according to Superintendent Matthew Harris.

Two of the student cases were reported on Monday, while the other cases were reported on Tuesday. That bring the school’s total in October to nine — seven students and two staff members.

Harris posted on the district website that McCullough Elementary and Trafford Middle School also will remain open, after each recorded a new case on Tuesday — a staff member and a student, respectively. An additional staff member not associated with any school building also tested positive as of Tuesday.

The Pennsylvania Department of Education recommends that schools close for three to five days if there are two to four covid-19 cases within a two-week span.

Penn-Trafford followed this guidelines earlier this month when it closed the high school for five days after the first two reported cases, but this time it will remain open.

Of the cases listed on Tuesday, Harris wrote that all of them were community transmissions that were contracted outside of the school, so they are not attributed to those buildings. None of these individuals were in the schools while they were contagious.

“The school district will look at all cases individually and base closures on information received and the recommendations from the Department of Health and the Department of Education. It is important to consider if cases are community transmitted or school transmitted and if the positive covid-19 students were in the building while they were contagious.”

Officials believe the students whose cases were reported on Monday also contracted covid-19 outside of school, according to Harris.

“We certainly understand if you are not comfortable sending your child to school under these circumstances,” Harris wrote. “You always have the option to choose remote instruction during this time.”

Harris could not immediately be reached for further comment.

Contract tracing is underway and those who were in sustained close contact with the infected students will be contacted by the Pennsylvania Department of Health, the letter said.

The district has had numerous coronavirus cases at several schools.

Sunrise Elementary School has five cases among staff. It closed Oct. 8 and plans to reopen Thursday.

Level Green Elementary School has eight cases. It closed Sept. 30, and reopened Oct. 15.

Harrison Park Elementary School has two cases. It closed Oct. 8 and reopened Oct. 14.