CONCORD, MASS. (WHDH) - A COVID-19 outbreak led to the closure of a middle school in Concord on Friday.
A total of 44 coronavirus cases were reported at Peabody Middle School this week and on Thursday, the school faced a 30 percent absent rate, Dr. Laurie Hunter, superintendent of the Concord-Carlisle Regional School District, wrote in a letter to families.
Hunter said she spent the morning communicating with local public health officials and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education before coming to the conclusion to close the school on Friday.
“It was decided to close Peabody just for (Friday) to allow for a chance for ill students to recover, instruction to occur consistently, and to reduce any remaining virus transmission,” she wrote.
Students will have to make up the missed school day by attending an additional half-day in June.
Hunter says she expects to be fully operational at all schools on Monday.
“We are very grateful that all ill students and staff with COVID have mild flu-like symptoms,” she continued. “In addition, all grade 6 students and staff have been provided antigen tests to test at home on Monday morning or if they become symptomatic. Out of an abundance of caution, we will thoroughly clean the Peabody building (Friday).”
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