Natick HS Latest To Go Remote After Student Parties

NATICK, MA — Natick High School has become the latest in Massachusetts to switch to remote learning after students attended parties with up to 50 people, the school district said on Monday.

A number of local districts, including Dover-Sherborn and Lincoln-Sudbury, have had similar problems and had to switch to all-remote learning. Natick was practicing a hybrid model across the district before Monday's switch.

On top of the remote learning, after-school like theater will have to be held remotely. Athletics will have to be postponed, according to a statement share with media outlets.

"Over the two-week period, the Board of Health will monitor close contacts and determine if additional infections emerge," Natick's statement read. "We will also continue to monitor our key regional COVID metrics and our athletics pod COVID dashboard to determine our next steps for NHS and our district. We hope that a return to live learning can occur on 10/13, but all of this data will inform that decision."

Overall coronavirus cases have been on the rise recently in Natick. According to state Department of Public Health figures, Natick added 20 new cases over the two weeks ending Sept. 23.