Old Orchard Beach High School Returning Despite COVID-19 Outbreak
Despite an investigation into a three-case COVID-19 outbreak at Old Orchard Beach High School, plans remain in place to resume in-person learning this week, according to a message from the superintendent.
In a Monday message to the school community, RSU 23 Superintendent John Suttie said in-person classes would commence as planned on Thursday.
Suttie, who is also the principal at the school, said the positive cases were identified between November 30 and December 2, developments that spurred the school to close for in-person learning beginning December 1, he said.
Since then, no others tested positive for COVID-19 and as of Monday no individuals were being investigated for potential exposure, according to a copy of the message that Suttie shared to Twitter.
"All school-related cases have been investigated by our school nurses and there are no additional cases or individuals being investigated at this time," Suttie wrote in the message. "In consultation with the Maine CDC Field Epidemiologist, Erica Penrod, no further action is necessary."
Despite Maine CDC first announcing the outbreak on Monday, Suttie wrote that due to the case volume this information took 12 days to be communicated, but does not change the plan set in place by RSU 23 since the school will have been closed for more than two weeks prior to re-opening.
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