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Elwood school temporarily closes after staff members test positive for COVID-19

Posted at 8:32 AM, Aug 03, 2020
and last updated 2020-08-03 08:32:14-04

ELWOOD — A Madison County school is temporarily closing two days into the school year after at least one staff member tested positive for COVID-19 and others were told to quarantine.

Elwood Junior Senior High School will be closed this week and students will participate in virtual learning, according to a letter sent to families by Superintendent Joe Brown.

Brown said the staff members contracted the coronavirus before returning to school. No students were believed to be in close contact with the staff members.

The school will return to its regular schedule Aug. 10. All Elwood schools will be closed on Wednesdays in August for cleaning and students will receive eLearning. The district's career center will remain open five days a week.

In the letter sent Saturday after a school board meeting, Brown told families there were more positive cases than expected, but that the district's return to school plans are working.

Brown said the school's athletic programs will continue as no coaches or student-athletes were in close contact with the staff members.

Elwood, which is located about 50 miles northeast of Indianapolis, has 1,476 students and 112 full-time educators at its three schools, according to the Indiana Department of Education.

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