Southwestern Illinois school switches to remote learning after COVID-19 outbreak

Central Elementary School in O’Fallon will be remote until after Thanksgiving after nearly 40 students tested positive for COVID-19, Superintendent Dawn Elser confirmed via email.

The pre-kindergarten through fourth-grade school, in Central School District 104, has 37 students who are positive for COVID-19. Seven staff members also tested positive, but Elser said they were able to return to work last Tuesday. Central Elementary has 299 students, according to the Illinois Report Card, making for a 12% positivity rate within the building.

Students will return to the classroom November 29.

Joseph Arthur Middle School is continuing as normal with in-person attendance.

“The safety of the students, their families and the Central 104 staff remains our number one priority, so we moved to remote learning to stop the spread,” Elser said in an email.

This story was originally published November 15, 2021 at 3:55 PM.