Westport students and staff will be learning remotely until after the Thanksgiving break due to an increase in the number of staff and students quarantining.

The decision comes after students were fully remote on Nov. 12 and Nov. 13. According to an email from Superintendent Dr. Thomas Scarice, around 44 staff members and 350 students are in quarantine.

“I wasn’t surprised [when this email came out] and it made me feel mixed emotions [that were] mostly unpleasant,” Charles Watson ’23 said. 

Initially, the Nov. 12 and Nov. 13 remote plan was put in place after exposed students needed to quarantine and there weren’t enough teachers to students that allowed for effective teaching. 

However, this decision is not meant to be indefinite. Westport Public Schools are expected to return to a hybrid approach on Nov. 30. 

“I am very happy that the school is taking measures to keep us all safe and I hope to be back as planned on Nov. 30,” Miles Katz ’22 said.

It should be noted that this will only be considered if the number of cases decrease and there is a continuation of “…the recommended mitigating practices…” as stated by principal Stafford Thomas. 

“I believe in general it doesn’t make sense to go back to school or even have it in person Watson ’23 said, believe me I love in person school but it’s too risky.”