Both Ridgway and Johnsonburg area school districts have reported positive COVID-19 cases.

Social media posts indicated that Ridgway has had four positive cases in the past 14 days, while an adult at the Johnsonburg Area Elementary School has tested positive for COVID-19.

An update posted Monday to the Ridgway School District’s website explained that two staff members at the elementary school have tested positive for COVID-19 and two students at the high school have also tested positive.

Per the release on the website, “None of these positive cases are connected to each other, all transmission occurred outside the school setting and no in-school spread is noted. All exclusion and quarantining have been done for all positive cases as it relates to the school environment. Close contacts are in quarantine.”

The most recent student case at the high school was reported Friday. As a result of that case, contact tracing determined that “twenty-nine students, one teacher and one paraprofessional are being excluded for close contact. Students who were in close contact will quarantine per PA DOH from 11/13/2020 through and including 11/26/2020 and be instructed via R-Learning.”

RASD was contacted by the Pennsylvania Department of Education on Friday evening and informed that Elk County was in the substantial level of community transmission for the previous 7-days. In-person instruction will continue this week, while the administration continues to monitor local and school based data very closely.

Because the virus is being contracted outside of the school setting, officials asked that students, staff and families “be vigilant and avoid large gatherings.”

Johnsonburg Superintendent Dennis Crotzer explained that all families of students who were in close contact with the adult at the elementary school have been notified. The adult and those who were in close contact will be quarantined for the requisite period of time.