Classes to Continue at Central Mountain Middle and High Schools on Monday following Two New COVID-19Cases

BALD EAGLE TOWNSHIP, PA – The Keystone Central School District has reported two additional cases of students with COVID-19, one at Central Mountain High School and one at the Central Mountain Middle School. Those two separate Friday announcements bring to three announced student cases over an eight day period, two at the high school and one at the middle school.

Superintendent Jacquelyn Martin shared the information on the district’s website and wrote, “Our schools will remain open as long as we can do so safely but you should be prepared for any possible school closures that could occur with little notice.”

As for the high school student who tested positive, the superintendent reported the student was exposed at a non-school event. She said the district has been in contact with the state health department and “have been advised that contact tracing is not necessary because students and staff were not exposed.” She wrote that while some staff and students have had to quarantine due to being contacts, “our positive cases have been very low in comparison to other school districts.”

Martin, in a separate posting, said the student at the middle school was also exposed in a non-school event. In that instance, she posted, the district has been working with the health department to “conduct contact tracing and have been in touch with all staff, students and families who may be impacted.” She said the district has not received any reports of other students or staff experiencing illnesses or symptoms resembling those of coronavirus.

She wrote that the past weekend saw “additional measures for sanitizing the classroom and office areas.” At this time, she said, “I believe that the risk to our staff and students remains low enough for us to continue operating our current education plan.”

Martin said safety protocols will continue throughout the district including daily health checks for staff, students and school district visitors, adding, “We are closely monitoring this situation and will provide you with updates as we know more.”

The district has been conducting classes both in-person and remotely since the start of the school year in early September.