EAST PROVIDENCE — A positive test for COVID-19 and another problem with utilities has led Superintendent Kathryn Crowley to close two buildings for the upcoming week beginning Monday, Oct. 26.

The superintendent said Sunday a staff member at the Silver Spring Elementary School tested positive for the coronavirus. Due to quarantine and contact tracing requirements from the Rhode Island Department of Health, it forced the administration to have all students at the school take instruction virtually.

“A positive case of a staff member put many staff on quarantine and I am not able to staff it so they're on distance learning,” Superintendent Crowley explained the Silver Spring conundrum.

Elsewhere, students and staff at East Providence High School were already learning virtually last week because of a water leak at 68-year-old structure. Facilities staff was finally able to discover the cause and fix the situation late last week, but it led to another difficulty.

As the new $189.5 million new high school rises behind it, another infrastructure ailment was created by the leak, a lack of electricity. The superintendent said the water rose to the level of existing fuse boxes, shorting out the near seven-decade old units.

The superintendent said crews worked all weekend attempting to rectify the matter, but came up empty. That means classes will continue virtually through at least the upcoming week as other solutions are attempted.

“I put the high school on distance learning again as a result of fixing one problem another reared it’s ugly head, namely no electricity,” Superintendent Crowley added.