Laconia school staffer in quarantine after spouse tests positive for COVID

LACONIA — An employee of the Laconia School District is quarantining at home after the employee’s spouse tested positive for COVID-19.

It is the first case of the coronavirus to touch the district since school reopened last month. About 80 percent of the city’s public school students are now attending in-school classes part-time under a hybrid schedule.

Superintendent Steve Tucker mentioned the situation during Tuesday’s School Board meeting. After the meeting he said the employee works at Laconia Middle School, but declined to say what that employee’s duties were, citing privacy issues.

The employee has received a COVID test, and the result was negative, Tucker said, adding that the employee’s family is also doing well.

The employee will be required to quarantine for two weeks. The quarantine period is due to expire on Oct. 18.

In a text sent to School District employees on Sunday, Tucker said that the matter had been reported to the state Department of Health and Human Services, which “confirmed that there is no risk to the school community.”

Under the circumstances there was no need to close the Middle School or modify school operations, he said.

“The Middle School and all of our schools will continue to be up and running,” he said.

There have been no COVID-positive cases reported among School District employees or students, Tucker told the board.

Similarly, no COVID cases have been reported by any other public schools in the Lakes Region.

However, according to the COVID-19 Schools Dashboard, an online list maintained by DHHS, Lakes Region Community College in Laconia and Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro have each reported one active COVID case, and New Hampton School is listed as having two recovered cases.