Barnstable Public Schools will remain remote as the town sees a rise in coronavirus cases, the district's superintendent announced on Sunday.
In a written statement to the community, Barnstable Superintendent of Schools Meg Mayo-Brown said 70 positive staff members and student tested positive last week. More than 225 close contacts are currently in quarantine.
"In terms of current local public health data, the Town of Barnstable is at its highest average daily and positivity rate, since the onset of COVID," Mayo-Brown said in a written statement. "Our student and staff rates exceed the rates of neighboring school districts."
The district will continue remote instruction for all students for the week of March 29.
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The district still plans to expand in-person learning for K-3 schools beginning April 5, but will provide an update on the timeline for remaining schools.
The announcement comes as Cape Cod deals with a surge of coronavirus cases, including multiple cases of new variants that are considered more contagious.
"We desperately want our students to learn in-person, and we will return as soon as possible," Mayo-Brown said. "Our local health and medical experts continue to emphasize the need to stay the course with health and safety protocols that mitigate the spread of COVID."
