On Sept. 7, Superintendent of Schools Brian White sent an email to parents in the Region 4 School District informing the school community that two students at Valley Regional High School had tested positive for COVID-19, necessitating a move to full distance learning for students on Tuesday, Sept. 8 and Wednesday, Sept. 9.

A copy of the letter is below:

Dear Parents and Guardians:

Valley Regional High School will be closed on Tuesday, September 8th and Wednesday, September 9th to students and all non-essential staff.

The district has become aware of two students in the school community who tested positive for COVID-19 and we are following our protocol. As soon as we were notified, we began collaborating closely with our local health departments and individual families to assess the situation. Additionally, we consulted with the State of Connecticut Department of Public Health to determine the most appropriate course of action.

Our local health departments need time to conduct contact tracing and to confirm that numerous attempts are made to reach all of the people who may have been in close contact with each of the confirmed cases. During the school closure, we will implement our deep cleaning protocols at Valley Regional High School, to prepare the building for the safe return of students and staff.

All Valley students and staff will engage in distance learning for Tuesday and as scheduled on Wednesday. This closure will apply to all school day and after school/extracurricular activities.

In person classes at Valley are currently scheduled to resume on Thursday, September 10th unless otherwise notified. The staff at VRHS and district administration are working closely with affected families and individual students to develop plans and support as needed.

Classes at John Winthrop Middle School, Chester Elementary School, Deep River Elementary School, and Essex Elementary School will continue as scheduled, as those buildings are not presently impacted by this situation.

As a reminder, it is critical that parents/guardians inform their child’s school immediately in the event their child tests positive for COVID-19, or if your family has been contacted by the health authority regarding a potential exposure.

Brian J. White

Superintendent of Schools