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Williamsburg school closed after school volunteer tests positive for coronavirus

A school volunteer at Mathew Whaley Elementary School tested positive for coronavirus, prompting administrators to close the school for a day.

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. — A Williamsburg elementary school will be closed on Friday after a school volunteer tested positive for coronavirus.

Williamsburg-James City County Superintendent Olwen Herron said the volunteer contacted the school division Friday morning to say she had tested positive for COVID-19.

Herron sent a message to parents right after school officials got the call, saying Mathew Whaley Elementary School would close at 10:30 a.m. Friday.

School officials are working to get in touch with a small number of families whose children could have come into contact with the volunteer.

Superintendent Olwen Herron is expected to speak on this issue Friday afternoon.

This coronavirus case is one of two cases in Williamsburg. There are another two cases in Virginia Beach.

Read the letter sent to parents below:

Good morning WJCC Schools families and staff.

This is school superintendent Olwen Herron with an important message about safety.

This morning, a school volunteer at Matthew Whaley Elementary contacted us to say that she has tested positive for coronavirus.

We are working now to contact the small number of families whose child may have come in contact with this person.

Obviously, this news is upsetting to all of us. Out of an abundance of caution, we will close Matthew Whaley at 10:30 this morning. All other schools are operating on their normal schedule.

We continue to be in contact with the health department and we will make an announcement about future school operations for the division later today.

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