Following a reported outbreak of COVID-19 at Eunice High School, the campus will be closed temporarily.
According to Eunice High Principal Mitchell Fontenot, last week, the St. Landry Parish School District learned that a staff member at Eunice High School tested positive for COVID-19.
Since then, four additional EHS staff members have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing that number up to five positive cases.
In a letter to parents, Fontenot said that EHS campus closed at the end of the day October 26th, "out of an abundance of caution to ensure the health, safety and welfare of all members of the community and the school."
Staff are not allowed into the building as it goes through cleaning. All students will receive remote instruction and all EHS staff members will be working virtually beginning on Tuesday, October 27, 2020,. In-person learning is expected to resume on November 4, 2020.
The decision to reopen, Fontenot says, will be based on the data and number of COVID-19 cases in the Eunice area. Arrangements are being made by the Child Nutrition Department to provide grab and go meals for EHS students at the Central Middle School campus. More information on a distribution will be provided to students and parents on Tuesday.
The only individuals who need to quarantine are those who have been personally contacted by the Department of Health or the school nurse. Any positive COVID-19 results for students or staff should be reported to Nurse Callie Schouest at 337-457-5895 or Nurse Sylvia Brown at 337-948-3646.
Fontenot says there is no evidence that schools in the Eunice area have had an increase in positive cases, nor is there any indication that higher transmission rates in these neighborhoods are due to school buildings being open.
"The step to close school buildings is one of many steps being taken to help reduce transmission in the Eunice area." No other schools in the Eunice area are closed.
The Louisiana National Guard and Office of Public Health will be providing COVID-19 testing on October 30, 2020 from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM at the Eunice High School parking lot.
------------------------------------------------------------
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere.
To reach the newsroom or report a typo/correction, click HERE.
Download our free app for Apple,Android, Roku and Amazon devices.
Sign up for newsletters emailed to your inbox. Select from these options: Breaking News, Evening News Headlines, Latest COVID-19 Headlines, Morning News Headlines, Special Offers