Holmdel HS Goes Remote Following 'Multiple Social Gatherings'

HOLMDEL, NJ - Students at Holmdel High School will be reporting to their classrooms virtually this week after almost 100 students and staff have been placed in quarantine. In a measure announced Thursday, all activities including sports are postponed until further notice.

The anticipated return to school date is April 7, according to Holmdel High School Interim Superintendent Dr. Lee Seitz, who noted that the case spike can be traced to several out-of-school gatherings that occurred during the weekend of March 13 and 14.

“A significant spike in reported COVID-19 cases at the High School has forced us to suspend in-person learning, cancel or delay our athletic programs, and quarantine almost 100 students and teachers until early April. It has been reported that these cases can be traced to multiple social gatherings that took place over the past weekend that did not follow accepted social distancing guidelines,” Seitz wrote in a March 19 letter to parents.

Related: Hundreds Of Holmdel, Hazlet School Staff Set To Receive COVID Vax

The school district has touted itself as one of the first districts to successfully reopen in-person, full-day classes. Younger students began attending full-day classes in December, with high school students following suit earlier this year.

In his letter, the interim superintendent asked that students avoid events and gatherings that would increase the risk of getting and spreading COVID-19. If attendance at a large gathering cannot be avoided, students are asked to comply with CDC guidelines, including wearing a face mask, maintaining social distance and avoiding crowded or poorly ventilated indoor spaces.

“These simple steps (especially the elimination of mass gatherings) have been proven to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and will give us the time we need to get everyone vaccinated and move on to a post-pandemic environment,” Seitz said.