PAINESDALE — Another Houghton-Portage Township Schools employee tested positive for COVID-19, while Jeffers High School is changing its mask policy in the wake of the temporary closure after a positive test there.

A staff member at Houghton Middle/High School tested positive, the district announced Friday. The announcement follows another positive test for a teacher at Houghton Elementary School.

staff member at Houghton Middle/High School has tested positive for COVID-19. The staff member followed safety protocols and the Western Upper Peninsula Health Department has determined that no staff or students were at high risk for exposure, Superintendent Doreen Kramer said in an email.

Starting Monday, Jeffers High School students will be required to wear masks, Adams Township Superintendent Tim Keteri announced Thursday.

The district made the changes as the result of ongoing Jeffers High School closure following a staff member’s positive test for COVID-19 Tuesday.

While it had been initially thought students would be able to return for in-person instruction Wednesday, the school remained closed Friday due to the number of people who still need to be cleared to return, Jeffers said on its Facebook page Thursday afternoon.

Risk assessment is still being conducted for the students and staff who were in contact, Keteri said in an announcement posted on the Adams Township website.

“The district cannot continue through this year with closures for every positive test,” Keteri said in the statement. “Therefore, the district will implement a 7-12 masking policy at all times within the building with exceptions during gym and lunch periods.”

Families that wish to pull their child from in-person instruction as a result of the change will be able to switch to remote instruction, Keteri said.