ARLINGTON, Mass. — Peirce Elementary School in Arlington will be starting the school year Monday with a fully remote learning model after a staff member tested positive for COVID-19, the district announced Sunday night.
The Arlington Board of Health offered free COVID-19 testing for Arlington Public Schools staff members last week. Testing took place on Wednesday and Thursday, and over the weekend, the district learned a staff member at Peirce Elementary School had tested positive.
That person had close contact with six other Peirce Elementary School employees. They all must self-isolate for two weeks. The district said this has created some staffing limitations, which is why Peirce students must all attend remotely at the start of the school year. In-person learning will be delayed until Wednesday, Sept 30.
All other district schools will return to school as planned, according to the release.
The superintendent said no students have been in any school buildings prior to the start of the school year Monday, and they do not think any students have had close contact with any of the staff members currently quarantining.
“From the start, our goal was to be proactive about reducing the risk of exposure. We prioritized providing testing and were able to do so thanks to a partnership with the Arlington Health Department,” Superintendent Kathleen Bodie said in a press release issued Sunday night. “We’re relieved and grateful we identified this case prior to the start of school, although we know this change poses challenges for our Peirce Elementary families and staff. Ultimately this is what our district needs to do, and we appreciate everyone’s cooperation and understanding.”
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