Bald Eagle Area School District Closes Wingate Elementary School

WINGATE – The Bald Eagle Area School District announced Tuesday it will be closing the Wingate Elementary School after one case of COVID-19, and possibly a second, showed up.

The school will be closed from Wednesday, Sept. 16 through Wednesday, Sept. 30. The school, adjacent to Bald Eagle Area High School, will undergo a thorough cleaning on Wednesday, district superintendent Scott Graham announced in a message to the school community:

Dear Wingate Parents, Faculty, and Staff:
Today we had a student test positive for Covid-19 at Wingate. There is also another potential case. After discussing this situation with Mr. Orichosky and our Board President Tina Greene, I have decided to close Wingate Elementary for students beginning tomorrow, Wednesday, September 16 through Wednesday, September 30. At this time, school would reopen for in-person instruction on Thursday, October 1.

Students will be sent home with computers and materials. Teachers will prepare work for students to complete tomorrow, Wednesday, September 16. Virtual instruction will begin on Thursday, September 17. Tomorrow, we will spend the day deep cleaning, especially the classrooms so faculty and staff will be able to teach virtually from their classrooms beginning Thursday.

All other schools in the district will remain open for in-person instruction due to no reported cases of Covid-19.

This is a difficult but necessary decision to make. Mr. Orichosky will be contacting you today, as well, with additional information. Thank you for your support and understanding as we deal with this pandemic.
Sincerely,
Scott V. Graham
Superintendent

Other schools in the BEA district are remaining open.

The Wingate elementary school closure is the first to take place in Centre County, other than the State College School District. The State College district is in the second week of a two-week shutdown, instruction now taking place online, after an upsurge of virus cases in the Centre Region.