PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — After dismissing students early on Tuesday due to a positive COVID-19 test result, Presque Isle High School plans to welcome them back on Wednesday.
In a letter to district families Tuesday afternoon, SAD 1 superintendent Ben Greenlaw stated that the individual who tested positive had not come to the school since Wednesday, Jan. 6. Health services employees have thus far found 32 students and three staff members to be close contacts of that individual. All close contacts must quarantine for at least 10 days.
Students and staff members not deemed close contacts will return to in-person instruction Wednesday. Greenlaw said that the high school has enough substitute teachers on hand to allow in-person classes to continue.
“The other major factor affecting our decision to remain open for in-person instruction is the school instructional designation determined by the Maine Department of Education,” Greenlaw said. “Aroostook County is currently labeled as ‘green’ for full, in-person instruction.”
Greenlaw noted that the Maine DOE will update Aroostook County’s instructional designation on Friday, Jan. 15. If Aroostook County is deemed “yellow” due to an increase in COVID-19 cases, all SAD 1 schools will transition to a hybrid learning model.
