Peters Township School District announced that Peters Township High School will be closed for in-person classes through Friday after an individual at the high school tested positive for COVID-19 a few days after school started on Aug. 24.
The school is closing for four days due to guidance from the state’s Health and Education departments, according to an email sent to PTHS parents written by the district’s Assistant Superintendent Dr. Michael Fisher. Beginning on Tuesday, all high school students will attend class remotely through the duration of the closure.
“On August 26, the Peters Township School District was notified that an individual at Peters Township High School has tested positive for COVID-19,” stated an Aug. 26 letter.
According to the district’s letter, initial contact tracing conducted by school district and Health Department personnel indicated no close contacts with this individual. Close contact is defined as any individual within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes.
According to the email sent Monday, there are also two presumed positive cases at the high school. “All three cases are unrelated to in-school transmission,” the letter said.
As a result, the district says affected individuals will not be able to return to school until they have completed isolation procedures for COVID-19. Impacted areas will be cleaned and sanitized, and students and staff who are considered close contacts will receive a personal contact by the Health Department or a district designee.
District spokesperson Shelly Belcher said the district also has one presumed positive COVID-19 case at both Peters Township Middle School and McMurray Elementary, which was also shared with parents.
“No additional measures were taken in those cases as it is just one case in each school,” Ms. Belcher said.
The district is offering in-person instruction five days a week at school. In-person instruction will continue at all other district schools, Mr. Fisher wrote in the email. In-person instruction will resume at the high school Sept. 8. Students could also opt for an online cyber program.
Deana Carpenter, freelance writer: suburbanliving@post-gazette.com. Lauren Lee: llee@post-gazette.com.
First Published: August 31, 2020, 3:52 p.m.
