SPARTA — All Sparta High School athletics and activities will be shut down for 14 days due to multiple COVID-19 cases on the football and girls soccer teams, Acting Superintendent Patrick McQueeney said Sunday.

“Our intent is to take this action as a proactive measure to protect the health and safety of our student athletes and our coaches,” reads a letter from McQueeney posted on the district’s website. “We are hoping to avoid a potential scenario that could result in a future cancellation of the fall season.”

Practices are scheduled to resume Monday, Oct. 5.

The individuals who were affected or have been in direct contact with those who tested positive are being contacted by the school athletic department and the state Department of Health, according to the letter. The health department and NJSIAA will provide guidance regarding the need to quarantine and take other cautionary measures.

Late last week, McQueeney announced two other students had tested positive for COVID-19.

In a Friday letter, he announced a student participating in virtual instruction had tested positive and the district was “coordinating closely with public health officials and following CDC, state, and local health department guidance in order to assure the health and safety of our community.” Since the student was learning virtually and was not in contact with anyone in the school building, school officials were not required to contact the Department of Health.

One day later, another letter was released by the district that a second student in virtual instruction had tested positive for COVID-19 in an unrelated case. Another staff member, who tested negative, had entered quarantine after coming into contact with someone outside of the schools who tested positive.

McQueeney letter noted Sparta’s cases could have originated from social gatherings, and that such actions could jeopardize students from competing in sports and getting back to school in the fall.

“We strongly encourage all of our students and families to not gather in large groups, always wear your mask in the presence of others, and maintain appropriate social distancing to limit the spread of the COVID-19 virus,” McQueeney said in Sunday’s letter. “Engaging in unsafe behaviors that result in the transmission of the virus amongst members of our school community could impact our ability to continue our fall athletic seasons and endanger a potential return to school.”

The weekend’s announcements continued what has been a turbulent start to the academic year for the school district, which includes students from pre-K through 12th grade in Sparta High School, Sparta Middle School, Helen Morgan School, Mohawk Avenue School and Alpine School.

On Aug. 21, the district announced that all students aside from those in special programs would take part in fully remote instruction through the end of October. Parents initially had the option to choose between a hybrid model of in-person and virtual learning, but an increase in staff leave requests forced the switch to the latter option.

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.