New Palestine HS football player tests positive for COVID-19; school to begin Monday

NEW PALESTINE, Ind. (WISH) — A New Palestine High School football player has tested positive for COVID-19, days before school is set to begin for the district.

The other football players and their families were notified on Friday. The district’s administrative team worked with the Hancock County Health Department to identify the case and any close contacts. Those close contacts are quarantining for 14 days, according to a Saturday statement from Southern Hancock Schools.

The final optional practice of the summer, scheduled for Friday, was canceled as a precaution, the statement said.

The district’s six schools, with roughly 3,801 students and 219 full-time educators, are set to return to classrooms on Monday. In its Saturday statement, the district said school will still begin as planned.

Full statement from Southern Hancock schools:

Our administrative team and athletic department worked quickly in conjunction with the Hancock County Health Department to identify the positive case and any close contacts. Those individuals have been quarantined for a period of 14 days per Indiana State Department of Health guidelines. 

Our football players and families were notified of the positive case on Friday. The team was scheduled to hold its final optional summer practice on Friday afternoon. This practice was canceled merely as a precaution.

School will begin as scheduled on Monday. 

Wes Anderson, Community School District of Southern Hancock County

On Thursday night, in neighboring Greenfield-Central schools, the district confirmed a student tested positive for coronavirus on the first day of school. Also on Thursday, the Avon school district in Hendricks County said it learned that an Avon High School staff member tested positive for COVID-19. A district spokesperson said that staff member had not been at the school during the week or been in close contact with any employees or students.