For the next week, doors at Conneaut Area Senior High will be closed to students, as the high school shifts to virtual learning after COVID-19 cases rise among students, teachers, and staff.

School principal, Ed Pietroski, tells Erie News Now in a statement, “This [virtual] shift is occurring due to an uptick in COVID-19 positive cases within the high school population, which we have experienced as we have returned from the holiday break.”

In the statement, he also says teachers prepared students for this shift, in case COVID-19 cases continued to rise. But, some in the area don't think closing the school was the right answer.

"I think it's crazy to close the schools. Kids are resilient. They have no problems getting over it," said local man, David Balaski. He says the virus shouldn’t be treated any differently than other illnesses.

“You need to build up your resistance, build up your immune system to get rid of all this stuff. I think it's ridiculous,” he said.

Some, who have dealt with the virus themselves, disagree. ”I knew I would get through it because I'm young. I was more afraid I was spreading it to someone else before I knew I had it,” Kendra Miller told Erie News Now. She tested positive for COVID-19 a few weeks ago.

Knowing how bad the virus made her feel, she says closing the high school for a week is a good choice. “I think it's a good idea. It's less people spreading it, not out and about, and everybody touching everything, then them going home and spreading it to their parents, and their parents spreading it to others,” she said.

This closure is just affecting the high school for now. Students will return to in-person learning on Monday, December 13th.