Hollidaysburg students return to classes

Gildea expresses frustration over COVID-19 setbacks

Hollidaysburg Area Senior High School students will return to classrooms today after two days of virtual learning because of a shortage of teachers.

Fourteen employees were quarantined because they had come into contact with a person who tested positive for COVID-19.

Superintendent Robert Gildea announced the staff exposure in a letter to parents Saturday, stating that "COVID continues to be among us."

In the letter, Gildea expressed his frustration with the high school's ongoing difficulties as a result of COVID-19.

"It has become impossible to provide adequate supervision of our students, let alone maintain effective instruction," Gildea said. The recent staff shortage marked the second roadblock for the high school since students returned Jan. 19.

The first roadblock came

Jan. 21, when the district's case threshold for the high school building was met when a fourth student was identified as positive or presumed positive.

The most recent hiccup resulted in students learning virtually Monday and Tuesday this week, as many of the quarantined teachers were able to stream lessons from their homes. Now, students and staff are able to return safely, according to high school Principal Maureen Letcher. She said that will be done safely, with precautions in place.

"We are happy to have the students back and the health and safety plan will be followed," Letcher said.

Letcher said that because not all of the 14 impacted employees were exposed on the same date, enough of them were able to return from quarantine today for the school to return to normal.

Mirror Staff Writer Andrew

Mollenauer is at 814-946-7428.