BY MATT LINDSEY
North Country This Week

CANTON — Schools have been seeing an increase in students testing positive for COVID-19, according to Canton Central Superintendent Ron Burke.

Several school districts have shifted to remote learning in recent weeks after positive COVID-19 tests of students and staff.

CCS has at least five students test positive for COVID in the last week.

“It’s a little bit unusual to see this many, we haven’t seen this many students this close together,” Burke said, noting that he did not think any of the students who tested positive were related.

He said that at least one other superintendent confirmed seeing an increase in students testing positive for the virus.

“I am hoping that this is a blip … we’re ready if we have to do something,” he said.

Burke said that they hope to use targeted contact tracing if there are positive cases in the future involving students.

For example, if it were to occur in the third grade classroom, that classroom may only be the only section of the student population needed to quarantine.

Victor Rycroft, school board president, said it seemed that contact tracing was going a lot smoother now than it had been.

“Unfortunately, we’re getting good at it,” Burke said.

The superintendent praised district families for being proactive and for taking the situation seriously.