3 Glen Rock High Students Positive For Coronavirus: District

GLEN ROCK, NJ — Glen Rock High School will be closed for in-person learning Monday and Tuesday after three students — two participating in the hybrid learning model — tested positive for the coronavirus.

The decision to close school was made so contact tracing could be completed, as well as cleaning and disinfecting, the district announced.

According to a letter from Superintendent Brett Charleston, both students participating in the hybrid model were present in school Thursday, and two of the three students were also present for the PSAT on Oct. 17.

The third student is participating in the remote-only model of learning, but it isn't clear which of the three were present at the Saturday test.

Charleston added that no PSAT participant or proctor was in "close contact" with the two students. This means, per New Jersey Department of Health guidelines, "there is no mandate or requirement for any student or proctor who participated in the October 17 PSAT to quarantine or be excluded from school."

After receiving questions regarding contact tracing, Glen Rock High School Principal Michael Parent sent a letter to parents explaining that only those who came in "close contact" with the student would be contacted.

"The high school will be in remote instruction mode on Monday and Tuesday so that our contact tracers can make the necessary notifications to families whose child(ren) may have been exposed," said Parent.

"That process takes time and we wish to complete this task properly. Keeping the high school students at home for two days allows us to do this and is a precautionary measure.

In-person learning is slated to resume Thursday with cohort B, and cohort A will return to the building Friday. However, all after school activities will go on as scheduled, according to the district.

This news comes as Mayor Kristine Morieko announced six new cases of the coronavirus in the borough, included the cases at the high school.

According to Morieko, the Office of Emergency Management was in contact with the district, and met with all key personnel Saturday.

In total, the borough now has 138 confirmed COVID-19 cases, and eight deaths from the coronavirus.