Brentwood Borough High School closed after increase of covid cases

Brentwood Borough Middle/High School is closed through Tuesday after seven positive covid-19 cases were reported in the building.

Superintendent Amy Burch alerted families through a letter on the district’s website that the virus was reported in six student cases and one staff member.

“The year is going out very much the same way as it began, with bumps and detours,” she said.

Students will participate in online learning through Tuesday, and then be back in the building for a half-day of instruction Wednesday. The district’s holiday break begins Thursday.

The building will be cleaned during the closure and transportation will still be provided to and from Steel Center for students to attend in-person.

Food distributions also will still happen at the building, from 11 a.m. to noon Monday and Tuesday, and on Dec. 28.

Burch outlined several other updates, including Elroy Elementary being reopened for hybrid learning.

The district will be closed through Jan. 3 for holiday break, with the expectation to resume fully online classes for all students on Jan. 4.

The remote learning is expected to stem a holiday surge of the virus.

Families who still need to get a Chromebook for their students should contact the appropriate building secretary.

Students will be in school, virtually, on Jan. 18 since it has been scheduled as a snow make-up day, Burch said.

Parents will be notified by Jan. 22 if online learning will extend into February.

Earlier this year, the school district dealt with the spread of tuberculosis. Five employees and a student were reported to have TB.

Schools were able to remain open since cases were latent.