100-Plus Coronavirus Cases In Lower Merion School District

LOWER MERION TOWNSHIP, PA — The Lower Merion School District's winter break ends on Monday, Jan. 3, and going into the break, more than 100 students and staffers were infected with the coronavirus.

According to data on the district website, 82 students and 21 staffers tested positive for the virus the week of Dec. 19.

The week prior, just 23 student cases and five staff cases were reported.

District health officials on Dec. 21 confirmed three outbreaks among people who participate in Harriton extracurricular activities. An outbreak is defined as two or more cases linked by transmission in school or during school activities, per the district.

Winter break began Dec. 23.

Overall in December, 121 students and 43 staffers tested positive.

Below is a breakdown of December case figures by school

• Harriton High School — 39 students; 7 staff
• Lower Merion High School — 14 students; 7 staff
• Bala Cynwyd Middle School — 22 students; 4 staff
• Welsh Valley Middle School — 24 students; 3 staff
• Belmont Hills Middle School — 7 students; 4 staff
• Cynwyd Elementary School — 6 students; 3 staff
• Gladwyne Elementary School — 3 students; 2 staff
• Merion Elementary School — 0 students; 4 staff
• Penn Valley Elementary School — 4 students; 2 staff
• Penn Wynne — 2 students; 2 staff
• Non-School — 0 students; 5 staff

The district is planning for in-person learning after the break. Despite the plan to return for in-person learning Monday, Superintendent Khalid Mumin said students should take their devices home with them in the event the district closes schools and shifts to virtual learning.

Since August, there have been 304 cases district wide.

Below are vaccination percents by grade:

• 12 — 86.5 percent
• 11 — 85.1 percent
• 10 — 84.73 percent
• 9 — 85.5 percent
• 8 — 85.7 percent
• 7 — 81.3 percent
• 6 — 44.1 percent
• 5 — 44.2 percent
• 4 — 43.1 percent
• 3 — 47.6 percent
• 2 — 48.2 percent
• 1 — 41.9 percent
• K — 38.3 percent