Mascoma Valley Regional High and Indian River Middle Schools to Hold Remote Learning Following Positive Case of COVID-19

ENFIELD — Superintendent Amanda Isabelle reports that Mascoma Valley Regional High School and Indian River Middle Schoolwill temporarily transition to fully remote learning after the district was informed that a individual in the district has tested positive for COVID-19.

The district learned today of the positive test result, and both schools will transition to remote learning tomorrow and Friday. Students will return to their in-person learning schedules on Monday, Nov. 9 and no other schools in the district are impacted by the case. 

The affected individual was last in either school on Monday, Nov. 2, and may have had close contact with up to 17 individuals. The individual who tested positive for COVID-19 is currently self-isolating in accordance with New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) protocols. Under state and federal privacy laws, no further information is available about the individual.

Two individuals were sent home early on Monday, and an additional 15 possible close contacts were sent home today, all out of an abundance of caution pending further information from DHHS.

Both schools will conduct fully remote learning for the remainder of the week to allow for a deep cleaning and disinfecting of each facility as well as to support contact tracing. 

“We know that transitioning to fully remote learning poses a real hardship for some members of our community, however it is imperative that we continue to prioritize the health and wellbeing of all of our students, faculty and staff,” Superintendent Isabelle said. “For this reason we are going to temporarily transition both of the affected schools to remote learning to support cleaning and contact tracing efforts.”

The district will be working closely with DHHS to follow COVID-19 guidance and to support the identification of all close contacts of the positive individual. Those who are identified by DHHS as close contacts will be instructed to quarantine.

A close contact is anyone who was within 6 feet of the infected individual for 15 minutes or more up to two days prior to the positive test result. If you do not receive a call from local or state health officials, this means you have not been identified as a close contact and you are not required to quarantine.

In accordance with the district’s reopening plan, both schools are cleaned thoroughly daily and high touch areas are disinfected multiple times throughout the day.Remote learning this week will allow the district to conduct additional cleaning and disinfecting of the each facility in addition to the routine cleaning schedules in place.

All district stakeholders will be updated as soon as more information is available. 

District students, families, faculty and staff are reminded to continue taking the following precautions to reduce the risk of COVID-19 spread in the community:

• 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.

For more information, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website here.

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