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.
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"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."
