After a COVID-19 outbreak forced 14 percent of Caldwell High School staff to quarantine, the school is moving to virtual learning only from Wednesday through at least Nov. 2.

Five certified staff are positive with COVID-19. Two certified staff are in quarantine due to close contact with a COVID-19 case and two more staff members are in quarantine because they are sick, but are unsure whether  they  are sick with COVID-19.

The district is also monitoring the  health of nine other certified staff and six aides who were potentially exposed to COVID-19.

Shalene French announced the closure in a letter to parents, which district spokeswoman Allison Westfall released to the media on Tuesday afternoon. French wrote that the district has struggled to find substitutes, despite increasing pay and adding bonuses for teaching during COVID-19 spread. The district can’t adequately staff the high-school for in-person learning, French said.

“We are hopeful that this time of remote learning will ensure our staff return to health and the spread of COVID is limited among the CHS community,” the release said.

This move will not affect other Caldwell schools, which will remain in a hybrid of face-to-face and online instruction.

French wrote in the letter that illness among students is low.

As of Friday the state Department of Health and Welfare reported only one positive case for Caldwell High School, and the case happened sometime before Sept. 25.