By Tom Tolen & Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


In-school classes are continuing in Brighton despite a recent spate of coronavirus cases.

On Monday, two positive cases of COVID-19 were reported at Brighton High School and one positive test result — and possibly a second — occurred at Scranton Middle School. Board of Education President Andy Burchfield told WHMI after Monday night’s school board meeting that a lot of factors go into whether the district makes the decision to close a particular school and keep the students home for online learning. He said, in his words, “There are a variety of ‘trigger points’ we take into consideration.”

Burchfield said the Brighton Area Schools have been lucky in that they have avoided the large number of coronavirus cases that have affected some other districts. Regarding the latest outbreaks at the high school and Scranton, Burchfield said, the schools will remain open, “(but) we continue to closely monitor the situation.”

Meanwhile, some students at a local private school are quarantining after a confirmed COVID-19 case. St. Patrick’s Catholic School on Orndorf Drive in Brighton is reporting one confirmed COVID positive student case. Principal Carley Dunphey told WHMI that case resulted in the quarantine of 14 students, ending at various times this week. She says they had one support staff member who tested positive and will be returning this week as well. Dunphey said her positive test results did not result in the quarantine of any students.