Climbing case numbers have classes out until 2021
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Abington’s classes are moving back to full remote as the the town’s climbing COVID-19 case load is resulting in a growing number of empty chairs in school classrooms.
The number of Abington residents in quarantine has almost double in one week, up from 98 last Monday to 188 this Monday. Schools were notified of 10 more students and staff members testing positive today alone, Schools Superintendent Peter Schafer said in an email to parents and guardians Monday afternoon.
“The recently identified cases involving our school community indicate that the current spike in COVID-19 cases is clearly continuing,” Schafer wrote. “The area’s upward trend in positive cases, coupled with the lag time to get a COVID-19 test and the test results, strongly suggests additional cases will continue to be reported in the coming days. Therefore, all Abington Public Schools will shift to fully remote instruction from Tuesday, December 15, 2020 through December 22, 2020.
“We plan to return to the Hybrid schedule on Monday, January 4, 2021.”
Cases continue to jump across the region following the Thanksgiving Day holiday. Abington’s positive test rate is currently 8.1 percent which indicates significant community spread.
“The current spike is very alarming,” Abington Health Agent Marty Golightly said.
Golightly said while there’s no indication that the virus was spreading in classrooms, it can’t fully be ruled out.
The nation’s death toll from COVID-19 is expected to cross 300,000 Monday, the same day as the first vaccinations were administered to health care workers,
This is the second time Abington schools have gone back to full remote learning this school year. Students were out from Oct. 25 to Nov. 12 after an initial outbreak of cases.
Students and staff have six more days of learning before the start of the annual holiday break on Dec. 23.
Breakfasts and lunches continue to be available for pickup on Wednesday, Dec. 16 and Monday, Dec. 21. Please contact the Food Service Director, Bernie Darcy at 781-982-2156 or Berniedarcy@abingtonps.org.