Noblesville East Middle School is temporarily moving to virtual instruction beginning Aug. 24 after two teams, or groups of approximately 100 students each, were quarantined. The Wake Forest team was quarantined Aug. 11, and the DePauw team was quarantined Aug. 13.
A letter to NEMS families stated that more than 20 percent of the NEMS population was absent because of illness, including 50 confirmed positive COVID-19 cases reported the week of Aug. 16 and 12 more reported Aug. 23. The 20 percent of absent students does not include COVID-19 direct contacts, but it does include COVID-19 cases and other illnesses.
The letter states that the Wake Forest team will return to school Aug. 26 and the DePauw team will return Aug. 30. All other NEMS teams will return Aug. 31.
“We’re moving to this short-term, temporary virtual instruction to slow the spread of illness,” the letter stated. “Please know that we believe students learn best in school and did not make this move lightly. The spike of illness NEMS is currently experiencing is significant, rapidly spreading, and like nothing we’ve ever seen before.”
Teachers will provide live instruction and students can log in to their classes with the Canvas and Google Meet links following their normal scheduled class times.
NEMS athletics and other after school activities will be cancelled through Aug. 31. No other Noblesville Schools have been impacted. If families need assistance with breakfast and lunch during virtual instruction, register at https://docs.google.com/forms/
