BURRILLVILLE – Burrillville High School students went back to distance learning for three days last week after 16 positive cases of COVID-19 among students and staff led to more than 120 absences in a single day.
Supt. Michael Sollitto sent a letter to parents on Tuesday, Nov. 2 explaining the decision.
“In addition to those testing positive for COVID-19, a large number of students have been identified as close contacts and must quarantine and/or be tested for COVID-19,” Sollitto noted. “This decision was made in abundance of caution; we plan to return to in person instruction on Monday.”
As a result, students moved to distance learning from Wednesday, Nov. 3 through Friday, Nov. 5. After school activities for the high school students and athletics went on as planned.
The students still took part in live instruction and attended virtual learning sessions, thanks to the technology and format laid out last year during the height of the pandemic. Teachers, Sollitto noted, were taking attendance with classes accessed by Google Meet and Google Classroom.
Sollitto told NRI NOW that there were more than 120 student absences from the school on Tuesday, Nov. 2, and that the number was expected to climb.
“By working together, we will get through these challenging times,” the letter to parents noted. “As you know, the well-being of our students, staff and families is, and will remain, our number one priority.”
Students returned to school on Monday, Nov. 8.
