Health

Milton schools says between 50-100 teens attended Friday party, risking hybrid-learning plan

MILTON, Mass. — School officials alerted parents about a reported party held Friday in Milton with 50-100 teens in attendance, in clear violation of the state’s social gathering guidelines.

In the letter sent to parents on Sunday, Milton Public Schools said while it hasn’t confirmed the teens at the party attend schools in the district, school officials are concerned that it took place in the town. They are asking parents who know that their children attended to monitor them for COVID-19 symptoms and alert school administrators.

“We as a district do not condone this type of behavior, and it goes against everything we have been asking the community to do to help ensure that our schools stay open in a hybrid model during this global pandemic,” the letter signed by Milton Superintendent James F. Jette and Karen Cahill, the principal of Milton High School.

Milton Public Schools is currently operating with a hybrid model for the fall and officials warned that student behavior could put that at risk.

“Now more than ever, in our continuous efforts to educate our students and make sure they are safe, we strongly encourage you to have a conversation with your student to let him/her know that this risky behavior is not acceptable and could have serious implications on the community as a whole,” the letter read.

The district said the Milton Public Schools COVID Metrics Advisory Team has met and will monitor the situation over the next few days.

Large house parties among teens have led other Massachusetts school districts to delay in-person learning. Dover-Sherborn delayed in-person learning earlier this month after 150 teens attended a house party without masks or social distancing, and Lincoln-Sudbury switched to remote learning after 60 students attended a house party on Sept. 12. Two Sudbury parents and their child have been charged with violating the state’s social host law in connection with that party.

Milton is currently designated as a lower-risk community and in the “green” category in the Department of Public Health’s most recent weekly COVID-19 transmission by town report. Milton had an incidence rate of 2.49 per 100,000 residents over the last two weeks, according to state data, below the state’s average of 4.9. The Milton Health Department reported zero new COVID-19 cases on Sunday.


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