Reading HS Goes Remote After Possible In-School Transmission

READING, MA — Reading Memorial High School will be fully remote until the holiday recess due to the likelihood of in-school transmission of the coronavirus for the first time in the district. Five students and two staff members tested positive for the virus, which is the highest two-day total in a Reading school, Superintendent John Doherty said.

"Through our contact tracing, several students and staff will need to be quarantined, including members of the gymnastics team," Doherty said Sunday.

All classes, including those for high-needs students, will be remote Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. In-person athletics and extracurricular activities will be canceled as well.

Here is the breakdown of positive tests among RPS students and staff since Doherty's last update on Thursday:

• 3 Parker students were remote this past week. There was no school exposure.
• Joshua Eaton student was remote last week. There was no school exposure.
• Killam student was in person. As a result, 17 students and 1 staff member are quarantined.
• Coolidge student was remote last week. No in school exposure.
• 3 RMHS students were remote last week. No in school exposure.
• RMHS student was in person last week. Contact tracing complete, contacts have been notified.
• RMHS student in person last week. Contact tracing is in process.
• 2 RMHS staff members were in person last week. Contact tracing is in process. We suspect that one of the staff members became positive through an in school transmission from a student.
• Birch Meadow student in person last week. Contact tracing is in process.