Coronavirus outbreaks close three Philly-area schools

Three local high schools have temporarily closed due to positive COVID-19 cases.

Delran High School, Saints John Neumann and Maria Goretti High School in South Philadelphia, and Council Rock High School North in Newtown Township have halted in-person instruction for the time being.

Delran High closed Monday after a case was reported over the weekend, making “two or more cases at Delran High School that have been confirmed positive over 14 days without a clear connection between cases,” Superintendent Brian Brotschul said in a letter to families.

“Please note that the decision was not taken lightly and the intention is to underscore safety and security first, above all else,” Brotschul wrote.

» READ MORE: How are coronavirus cases in schools being reported? ‘It’s a hodge-podgey mess.’

Delran students will continue learning remotely through Oct. 20. The high school had been on a hybrid model.

At Neumann-Goretti, three students in two different grades tested positive for COVID-19, school president Joseph McColgan and Principal Hugh Quigley said in a letter to school families and staff.

All three students were exposed to a COVID-positive family member.

Neumann Goretti students' first all-online day is Tuesday; they will learn virtually until Oct. 26.

Saints John Neumann and Maria Goretti High School is temporarily halting in-person instruction after three students tested positive for COVID-19, McColgan and Quigley wrote.

Neumann-Goretti was not directed to stop in-person classes, but chose to do so “out of an abundance of caution and to allow the [Philadelphia Health Department] the time to coordinate contact tracing,” the letter said.

» READ MORE: Philly School District to begin in-person learning Nov. 30 — for some students

Five Council Rock North students tested positive, Superintendent Robert Fraser said in a letter to parents. The school will be closed for in-person instruction for the rest of the week.

“This four-day in-person closure will allow for contact tracing to occur, and to see if we experience any additional positive cases over the remainder of the week,” Fraser wrote. “We thank you for your patience as we work through this difficult situation.”

Thomas Farley, Philadelphia’s Health Commissioner, has said there is no clear evidence of coronavirus spread within schools.