The Penn-Trafford School District will send all students home for online instruction during the first week after Thanksgiving, a move aimed at proactively heading off potential covid-19 infections.

District officials announced Tuesday that students will learn remotely Dec. 1 to 4, returning to school Monday, Dec. 7.

“This will help ensure the health and safety of students/staff and will give us time to accurately assess cases, contact trace and issue quarantine orders,” Superintendent Matt Harris wrote to district parents.

Penn-Trafford has been hit particularly hard with covid-19 cases since the start of the school year, with more than 60 total cases to date and multiple temporary building closures.

Sports and extracurricular activities will not be affected, according to district officials.

Officials reminded parents to contact their building’s principal if their student has traveled out of state over the holidays.

“If you have a child who is symptomatic, tested positive or needs to quarantine for being a close contact, you must report it to the district nurse, Lisa Popovich, popovichl@penntrafford.org, as soon as possible,” Harris wrote.

Penn-Trafford’s decision mirrors that of neighboring Franklin Regional, whose school board voted 6-3 Monday to make the same shift to online learning the week after Thanksgiving.

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