Students will learn remotely learning at Murdock High School in Winchendon through the holiday break after dozens of students tested positive or were exposed to the coronavirus.
Teachers have the day to prepare before classes go remote Thursday. The high school will remain remote until Dec. 23, which marks the start of winter break.
The school district made the decision after reporting of an alarming number of COVID cases -- about 100 students have either tested positive or are in quarantine. Winchendon isn't the only school district seeing a spike in cases in the state.
The number of COVID-19 cases in Massachusetts schools has effectively nearly doubled week over week, with nearly 8,000 students and staff testing positive in the past week.
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The state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education released the numbers Thursday in its weekly COVID-19 report, which shows a total of 6,879 students and 1,105 employees tested positive for the virus between Dec. 2. and Dec. 8.
The interim superintendent said state education officials are supporting the town’s move to pivot to remote learning at the high school. This does not apply to the middle school, which has reported just four positive cases. In-person learning will continue at the elementary schools as well.
