Two days after the combined middle and high school on the grounds of the Quantico Marine Corps base opened for in-person instruction, a case of COVID-19 is temporarily putting the school year on hold.
An update on the website for Quantico Middle/High School said a “member of our Quantico Middle High School family,” has tested positive for the coronavirus and the school will be closed from Aug. 26-31 “to allow for a thorough cleaning and disinfecting.”
In addition, school officials said they are working closely with military leaders on a basewide contact tracing program.
About 350 students in grades 6 through 12 attend the school.
School officials said there have been no confirmed cases involving Crossroads Elementary School, which is on the base.
Schools on military bases are overseen by the Department of Defense Education Activity. Operating guidelines released by DoDEA last month said to “the maximum extent possible, DoDEA schools will operate brick and mortar schools on a regular full-time schedule” this fall.
The guidelines say virtual options will be offered during the fall semester for “students and families with health vulnerabilities.”
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WTOP’s Joan Jones contributed to this report.
