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Full reopening of schools postponed in Norwin SD because of COVID-19

NORTH HUNTINGDON TOWNSHIP, Pa. — The full reopening of schools in the Norwin School District has been postponed because of COVID-19 cases, Channel 11′s news exchange partners at TribLIVE reported.

Nov. 4 was the planned reopening date, but that won’t happen until at least Nov. 18.

The middle school is closed for at least Tuesday and Wednesday after one student and one staff member tested positive for the coronavirus, Superintendent Jeff Taylor told TribLIVE. Learning is switched to fully remote.

Hybrid learning will continue for all schools, meaning students will be in class two days a week and at home for three days.

There are 122 students and staff now in quarantine, and the district expects that at least 40 middle school students will be quarantined over the next 48 hours.

According to TribLIVE, the positivity rate for people in the district being infected with COVID-19 has increased from 11.5% on Oct. 5 to 16.3% as of Oct. 26.

Taylor told TribLIVE contact tracing is being done and that deep cleaning will take place while the middle school is closed.

District officials will reevaluate on Nov. 9 plans to reopen on Nov. 18, TribLIVE reported.

Westmoreland County is currently in a “substantial” risk level when it comes to coronavirus cases. It’s been in that category for two straight weeks.

>>RELATED STORY: Westmoreland Co. listed as ‘substantial’ risk for community spread for second straight week

Both the Pennsylvania Department of Education and Pennsylvania Department of Health have been urging schools to move to all online learning when counties stay in the “substantial” risk level for consecutive weeks.