Due to an outbreak of COVID-19, students at Harriton High School in the Lower Merion School District can choose to switch to virtual learning until the holiday break, writes Katherine Scott at WHYY.

“I think that’s a great approach,” said Martin Wan, parent of a senior student at Harriton.

Although contract tracing is still ongoing, Montgomery County health officials have identified 18 linked cases.

According to school district spokesperson Amy Buckman, the cases are linked to several sports teams and one club.

Harriton High School suspended all extracurricular activities this week because of the outbreak.

“The teachers are going to be focusing on the students who are in class physically at Harriton High School,” Buckman explained. “What they’ll do is basically open up a Zoom link, and the students that are not coming into school will be able to observe the class via Zoom.”

But Buckman said it’s still too early for Montgomery’s health and safety officials to settle on a plan for students in January.

“They are pondering the concept of whether we should be offering virtual instruction either as an option or as the primary mode of instruction that first week after winter break, but we haven’t made that decision yet,” she said. “Everything is changing so quickly- especially with Omicron – that it’s very difficult to make a decision even two weeks out.”

Read more about the decision of Harriton High School to offer virtual learning at WHYY.