Easton Area High School to remain remote until after Thanksgiving break

Remote learning will remain in place at Easton Area High School until after Thanksgiving due to the number of positive COVID-19 cases, district officials announced.

In a letter to parents and staff, the district said remote learning will be in effect until Dec. 1, when students and teachers are expected to return for hybrid learning.

Easton joins a number of other high schools in the Lehigh Valley including Emmaus and Parkland that have shifted temporarily to remote learning in light of positive cases.

Out of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties, 47 — including Lehigh and Northampton — are on the state’s watch list because of high case counts. Lehigh and Northampton are now categorized as having “substantial” coronavirus community transmission, which applies to counties with more than 100 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents or more than a 10% positivity rate over the past seven days.

The state education and health departments recommend school districts move to fully remote learning when there is substantial community transmission, though the decision rests with local school officials.

In a separate letter to parents and staff Friday, Easton Area School District Superintendent David Piperato said the other schools in the district will continue hybrid learning, but urged parents to have plans in place in the event the district needs to shift to remote.