Both public schools in Morris Plains shifted to all-virtual instruction on Monday, after the borough district learned on Friday night that a person at each one had tested positive for COVID-19.
In-person instruction at the Mountain Way and Borough schools will resume on Nov. 2, 2020, Superintendent Mark Maire said in a message to parents.
“At this time, the evidence indicates that transmission to the affected individuals occurred off school grounds,” Maire stated.
“Secondly, there is no evidence at this point that there has been any transmission in our school buildings. Lastly, this case is not related or correlated to our previous case. We are in the process of contact tracing, and you will be notified should further precautions be deemed necessary.”
On Sept. 26, Maire announced that a class from the Borough School was directed to stay home for 14 days after an individual there tested positive. He refrained from releasing details about any of these cases, citing confidentiality laws.
A third-party vendor is disinfecting both schools, said the superintendent, who urged the community to continue following coronavirus safety guidelines from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The borough’s schools teach students from grades K-8. Morris Plains sends high school students to Morristown High, in the neighboring Morris School District.
At least five schools in that district have been disrupted by the pandemic this fall.
