Westwood High Moves Back To Hybrid Class After Virus Case

WESTWOOD, MA — Westwood High School students will return to their hybrid learning schedule on Thursday after in-person classes were derailed due to a positive COVID-19 test in the school on Monday.

A 9th grade Westwood High School student tested positive for the virus on Monday. Westwood Superintendent Emily Parks issued a letter to the district community on Monday and said the student was asymptomatic and last in the building on Oct. 6. The district switched to remote learning for Tuesday's classes and continued the planned remote session for Wednesday's class.

On Tuesday, Parks sent another letter to the district community and said the school would be cleaned on Wednesday and hybrid learning would resume on Thursday. Officials finished contact tracing and Parks urged parents to remember that if their child was not contacted by" a contact tracer then the student is not a close contact.

"Given students’ rigorous adherence to physical distancing and mask wearing during class, the potential impact has been greatly lessened," Parks said in her letter.

Parks did not say how many close contacts were identified and if any were teachers or staff.

Parks urged parents and students to discourage large gatherings and to get tested for COVID-19 if they have been part of one.

"To ignore these practices puts the community at risk and jeopardizes our ability to continue in-person school," Parks said.