COVID Closes Two Morris School District Schools Thru Nov. 9

MORRISTOWN, NJ - Individuals at Morristown High School, Frelinghuysen Middle School, Normandy Park, and Woodland tested positive for COVID-19 which prompted a change in the schedule, according to officials.

"No connection has been identified among these cases, and they are not a result of any school-related activity. The District continues to partner with our local health department for guidance and contact tracing," officials said in a statement. "We are communicating directly with anyone who may have been exposed in school or on the bus. Anyone identified as a close contact or impacted by possible exposure will complete the required 14-day quarantine at home. Please be aware that because of health confidentiality laws, we cannot provide additional information."

In light of increasing rates of transmission state wide and the elevation of Morris County’s coronavirus risk status to the “moderate” level, two or more unconnected cases within 14 days of each other at the same school warrants closure of the school for 14 days from the date of last possible exposure, officials said.

The changes:

• Red Cohort students will return to Frelinghuysen on Tuesday, October 27, to resume in-person instruction.
• Normandy Park School will be closed to in-person instruction for 14 days beginning Monday; students will return to the building on Nov. 9. All students will access their instruction virtually during this time through Google Classroom.
• Woodland School will also be closed to in-person instruction for 14 days beginning Monday; students will return to the building on Nov. 9. All students will access their instruction virtually during this time through Google Classroom.
• Schedule at MHS is not impacted. The individual at MHS has not been in school since Friday, Oct. 16, which exceeds the timeframe for the transmission period based on the test results as per Department of Health guidelines. Therefore, there is no reason to suspect that anyone at Morristown High School was exposed through any school-related activity. The evidence suggests that the infected individual contracted the coronavirus in the community and not at school.

Only students who have been identified as close contacts or impacted by possible exposure need to quarantine at home for 14 days. These families will be communicated with directly and should follow all instructions provided to them by the building principal, officials said.

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