Germantown Academy student tests presumptive positive for COVID-19; school remains closed

Tuesday, March 10, 2020

Germantown Academy to close amid coronavirus outbreak in Montgomery CountyA school in Montgomery County will be closed for multiple days this week after four presumptive positive cases of the coronavirus were confirmed in the county.

FORT WASHINGTON, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- A student of the Upper School at Germantown Academy has tested presumptive positive for COVID-19 after a family member tested positive for the virus earlier this week.

The Montgomery County school remains closed and the student and family member are self quarantined at home.

According to the school, three other Upper School students who visited that student's house last week are in self-quarantine for a minimum of two weeks, at the direction of the Montgomery County Department of Health.

The school reports that these students are currently asymptomatic and will not be tested unless they begin to experience symptoms.

The school made the decision to close for multiple days this week after several presumptive positive cases of the coronavirus were confirmed in the county.

Earlier this week, school leadership announced that Germantown Academy would be closed on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

On Thursday, Germantown Academy will begin virtual lessons from home through spring break.

"Beginning Monday, March 9 and continuing through spring break, GA will undertake a thorough deep cleaning of all interior spaces just to be safe so that when students return to school everything will have been disinfected," said the school.

The closure is causing some issues with SAT testing.

"Because school buildings will be closed to students through March 17, we will not be able to host the College Board SAT on Saturday, March 14. The College Board and GA will be back in touch with you regarding either a new location or future options for taking the test," the school said.