St. Rita High School turns to remote learning after students contract coronavirus

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Some Chicago Catholic High School students will not return to the classroom this week, after two students tested positive for COVID-19.

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St. Rita of Cascia High School is switching to remote learning. Just last week, students returned to the classroom at the all-boys Catholic School on Chicago's Southwest Side.

The school had implemented a hybrid model for the new school year, releasing photos on social media that showed their teachers imparting lessons.

Now, they are back to all-remote learning, at least temporarily, after two of their students were diagnosed with COVID-19 last week.

"Several others have been in close contact with them outside of the school day," school president Dr. James Quaid said in an email to parents Thursday, while emphasizing that school officials don't believe the students contracted the virus at school.

St. Rita, like others, gave parents the choice between a hybrid model and all-remote learning before the start of the school year - though all students were asked to be on campus last week in order to meet their teachers in person.

"While we prefer in-person learning we cannot look at remote learning in a negative way. This is our only alternative to keeping your son(s) and all our families safe," St. Rita Principal Sante Iacovelli added in that same letter.

St. Rita will remain all-remote for the next two weeks, then return to its previous hybrid model on September 8.

"As we move on, we will continue to adjust to make this the safest and most productive experience possible," Quaid said.

St. Rita is an independent Catholic school and is not part of the Archdiocese of Chicago schools.