Valley Regional remains closed

School shuts down for 2 days after students test positive for COVID-19

Valley Regional High School in Deep River will remain closed until Thursday after two students there tested positive for COVID-19. The school, which reopened Sept. 1, is one of the first in the state to shut down because students tested positive for the virus.

“Our local health departments need time to conduct contact tracing and to confirm that numerous attempts are made to reach all of the people who may have been in close contact with each of the confirmed cases,” Region 4 Schools Superintendent Brian J. White wrote in a letter to families Monday. “During the school closure, we will implement our deep cleaning protocols at Valley Regional High School, to prepare the building for the safe return of students and staff.”

White said the district has already begun collaborating with local health officials, as well as the state Department of Public health and individual families, “to assess the situation” and “determine the most appropriate course of action.” While the state provides guidelines on when to close school districts based on countywide infection rates, local health departments and school administrators are tasked with the decision of when to close individual schools if staff or students test positive for COVID-19.

Students and staff at the high school are expected to participate in remote learning Tuesday and Wednesday, with all after-school and extracurricular activities canceled for those two days. In-person classes at the other schools in Region 4 — John Winthrop Middle School, Chester Elementary School, Deep River Elementary School and Essex Elementary School — are expected to continue, “as those buildings are not presently impacted by this situation,” White wrote.

He said staff are working closely with affected families to develop plans and