COVID-19 cases force the closure of Central Middle School

The school will be under a two-week quarantine period

OROVILLE >> Central Middle School in Oroville has been put on a two-week quarantine because of a high number of “quarantined, ill and COVID positive students.”

Central Middle School Principal Mikeial Williamson announced the school’s temporary closure of in-person learning in a letter to parents Friday, Sept. 3.

Williamson wrote that contact tracing of COVID-19 cases led to “community and family events as well as simple family member to family member spread.”

The school will be permitted to reopen for inperson learning Monday, Sept. 20.

“We all know students learn best and feel better when they can interact with and feel a part of an in-person school community. This required shutdown is heartbreaking for all of us,” Williamson wrote.

As of Friday, they were eight COVID positive cases of the 363 students at Central Middle School. According to the Oroville City Elementary School District COVID-19 dashboard, there were zero COVID cases reported among staff.

The California Department of Public Health states in its school guidance that individual school closures are recommended based on the number of cases, the percentage of teachers, students and staff who test positive for COVID-19 and following consultation with the local health officer. Schools may be forced to close if there are multiple cases in multiple cohorts or if at least five percent of the total number of teachers, students and staff are cases within a two-week period. The closure of a school district can be prompted if 25 percent or more of the schools within a district have closed within 14 days.

Students at Central Middle School will shift to online learning during the two-week quarantine period. Free meals for students will still be available by drive-by pick up from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Meals will be handed out in front of the gym.