North Middlesex Regional School District Reports Positive Case of COVID-19 at Nissitissit Middle School

TOWNSEND — Superintendent Brad Morgan reports that a student at Nissitissit Middle School in Pepperell has tested positive for COVID-19. 

The district was informed late yesterday afternoon of the positive COVID-19 case within the district. The student has been out of the building since last Tuesday, and will continue to quarantine until cleared by the Nashoba Associated Boards of Health.

The district is following its comprehensive internal plan for a positive case, including consistent sanitizing, informing families whose students were at risk of exposure or in close contact, and supporting the affected family. The district is also following all Department of Public Health and Nashoba Associated Boards of Health protocols.

At this time, the Nashoba Associated Boards of Health has completed its contact tracing and has determined that there are no close contacts at Nissitissit Middle School or in the school district. Close contacts are identified as anyone who was within 6 feet for 15 consecutive minutes or more of the infected individual. Per district protocols for in-person learning, no student in the school district is within 6 feet of another student during classroom instruction.

“Based on the Nashoba Associated Boards of Health’s guidance, it has been determined that no student within our district is considered a close contact to the individual who tested positive for COVID-19,” Superintendent Morgan said. “This is an isolated incident and it is not indicative of any need for wider concern of COVID-19 exposure at our schools. Therefore, we have determined that we can continue to safely conduct our hybrid learning model within our schools at this time.”

North Middlesex Regional will continue to be vigilant in adhering to all of the protocols that have been put in place in an effort to continue in-person learning. The district will also be providing remote learning for the students required to quarantine at home in order to continue to provide instruction as well as to maintain an emotional connection between students and their classroom.

In addition, to prevent further spread of the disease in the community, North Middlesex Regional asks that students, families and staff take the following precautions to prevent the spread of the disease:

• Stay home if you have a fever or are not feeling well. Students should stay home from school should any new or unexplained illness, no matter how mild, develop. This precaution is meant to keep all staff and students safe.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available.
• Avoid close contact with others. When outside your home, please adhere to social distancing guidelines and keep a distance of at least 6 feet between yourself and others.
• Wear a cloth face covering that covers your mouth and nose to protect others when in public areas.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, then throw the tissue in the trash and wash your hands.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.

Students and their families are urged to remain home when sick, and students or staff that develop COVID-19 symptoms at school will be separated from others in a designated “isolation area” and be assessed by the school nurse before being either sent home or to a healthcare facility if necessary. Areas where a student or staff member develops symptoms will be closed off until they are cleaned and disinfected.

Further information on the district’s response protocols for positive or possible COVID-19 cases can be found in the full reopening plan, linked here.

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