Hempfield middle school closed due to covid-19 cases

A middle school in the Hempfield Area School District is temporarily closed due to multiple covid-19 cases, officials announced over the weekend.

Wendover Middle School is closed Monday after four positive cases were reported, according to Superintendent Tammy Wolicki. The closure comes a week after students returned following the holidays. Prior to the break, students were attending classes remotely to help curb the spread of the virus.

The closure will allow district leaders to conduct contact tracing and identify those who might need to quarantine. Students on Tuesday will return to the hybrid model, or a mix of in-person and online learning. Free breakfast and lunch will be available for curbside pickup between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Monday.

“While it is inconvenient to move all students to remote only instruction, it provides an opportunity to mitigate spread to others,” Wolicki wrote in a letter to parents.

As on Monday, there were 15 positive cases reported in the district within a 14-day period, according to a tracker on the district’s website. Of those, eight are students and seven are staff. That’s an increase from Friday when five active cases were reported.

Three schools reported one case each as of Monday, including Harrold Middle, West Hempfield Elementary and West Point Elementary. Two cases were reported at Fort Allen Elementary and at West Hempfield Middle, while four cases were reported at both Wendover and the high school.

As of Monday, 26 staffers were quarantining— eight from the high school, four from Stanwood Elementary and West Hempfield Middle, three from West Hempfield Elementary, two each from Fort Allen, Harrold and West Point, and one from Wendover.

Wolicki noted district officials are working to keep schools open for in-person learning as much as possible. Positive cases should be reported to the school nurse, principal or Lisa Maloney, supervisor of pupil services at the district.