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School Reopening

COVID-19: School District In Hampshire County Implements Staggered Return To Class COVID-19: School District In Hampshire County Implements Staggered Return To Class
Covid-19: School District In Hampshire County Implements Staggered Return To Class A school district in Western Massachusetts is taking a unique approach to reopening classes to students amid the latest rise in COVID-19 infections. In Hampshire County, the Northampton School District announced that it will be staggering the return to classes for students to allow for the start of pool testing. According to district officials, Northampton High School and JFK middle schools will be open as planned on Monday, Jan. 3 and pool testing will be conducted. Bridge Street, Jackson Street, Leeds, and Ryan Road elementary schools will not be in session on Dec. 3 and will reopen on …
COVID-19: School District In Region Announces Delayed Starting Time COVID-19: School District In Region Announces Delayed Starting Time
Covid-19: School District In Region Announces Delayed Starting Time A school district in Fairfield County announced a change in the starting time for the first day of classes of the new calendar year amid a climb in cases as the highly contagious COVID-19 Omicron strain becomes more prevalent. Darien Public Schools Superintendent Alan Addley announced a two-hour delayed opening schedule on Monday, Jan. 3 to provide teachers with the opportunity to prepare remote and in-person learning for their students "given the expected but undetermined number of students to be quarantined." On Friday, Dec. 31, Westport Schools Superintendent Thomas Scarice said the…
COVID-19: 'Omicron's A Different Animal,' Says Expert, Sounding Alarm Over In-Person Learning COVID-19: 'Omicron's A Different Animal,' Says Expert, Sounding Alarm Over In-Person Learning
Covid-19: 'Omicron's A Different Animal,' Says Expert, Sounding Alarm Over In-Person Learning A pediatrician who is an expert on disease and vaccine development is sounding the alarm about the ability of schools to resume in-person learning during the height of the new wave of the COVID-19 pandemic sparked by a surge of cases from the highly contagious Omicron variant. Connecticut native Dr. Peter Hotez is the dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at the Baylor College of Medicine and co-director of the Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development. "Here's the problem," Hotez said in an interview on MSNBC Wednesday morning, Dec. 29. "We're kind of going off ol…
Westchester High School To Reopen After Devastating Damage From Hurricane Ida Westchester High School To Reopen After Devastating Damage From Hurricane Ida
Westchester High School To Reopen After Devastating Damage From Hurricane Ida One of Westchester’s largest high schools is set to reopen to students after being forced to close due to damage caused by flooding during Hurricane Ida. On Friday, Oct. 29, the New Rochelle High School welcomed back select students, faculty and staff, with a complete reopening scheduled for Monday, Nov. 1 after weeks of cleanup and restoration efforts. When the hurricane struck in early September, the high school was among the hardest-hit in Westchester, forcing district officials to transition to remote-learning shortly after the academic year began. Earlier story - Sewage Contamination…
School In Westchester Reopens After State-Ordered Closure School In Westchester Reopens After State-Ordered Closure
School In Westchester Reopens After State-Ordered Closure Weeks later than originally planned, a Westchester school will reopen for in-person learning amid safety concerns during construction in the building. In September, the Blind Brook School District in Rye Brook was forced to temporarily close the Ridge Street Elementary School by the state Department of Education due to safety concerns during construction. Earlier story - District Hopes To Bring Back Students To Westchester School NY State Ordered To Close Students were initially welcomed back to the classroom as scheduled, though the state forced the building to be closed as a massive…
Ida: Two Schools In Westchester Forced To Delay Openings Ida: Two Schools In Westchester Forced To Delay Openings
Ida: Two Schools In Westchester Forced To Delay Openings A pair of schools in one of Westchester’s largest districts were forced to delay their reopening plans due to the damage caused by Tropical Depression Ida. In New Rochelle, both the high school and Isaac E. Young Middle Middle School sustained substantial damage, forcing contractors to make emergency repairs and delaying the reopening of the building to students and staff. Officials said that “most notably, at New Rochelle High School, the situation is serious. Unfortunately, the building received substantial damage, and will take significant time to remediate.” District officials sai…
COVID-19: NY Announces New School Guidelines For Masks, Social Distancing COVID-19: NY Announces New School Guidelines For Masks, Social Distancing
Covid-19: NY Announces New School Guidelines For Masks, Social Distancing With schools ready to begin reopening, the New York State Department of Health has just laid out its guidance for mask-wearing and social distancing for students and staff. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced that the Public Health and Health Planning Council passed an emergency regulation and a determination was issued requiring all teachers, administrators, and other school employees to submit to weekly COVID-19 testing unless they show proof of vaccination. The emergency regulation authorizes the state Health Commissioner to require weekly testing or proof of vaccine…
High School In Region Goes Remote After Substance Found On Walls High School In Region Goes Remote After Substance Found On Walls
High School In Region Goes Remote After Substance Found On Walls A high school was forced to alter its reopening plan after a suspicious substance was found growing on the walls and furniture inside the building in Western Massachusetts. South Hadley Schools Superintendent Jahmal Mosley issued a letter to the community in Hampshire County this week advising that “a black/white” substance was located inside the building, prompting them to open the year remotely. Mosely said that the district called in Fermata Home Services to assist, which took samples of the substance and sent them to a lab for testing. It is unclear when the test results will be avail…
COVID-19: There's 'No Reason' Not To Return NY Students To School In September, Cuomo Says COVID-19: There's 'No Reason' Not To Return NY Students To School In September, Cuomo Says
Covid-19: There's 'No Reason' Not To Return NY Students To School In September, Cuomo Says With COVID numbers continuing to trend in the right direction, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that he expects schools to be fully reopened for in-person learning come September. “Based on the current trajectory,” Cuomo said that there is “no reason” New York cannot reopen schools statewide for the next school year. “We have to get back to school,” he said. “I think there’s no reason why every school shouldn’t be open in September.” Cuomo made note that while distance learning worked for some as an emergency precaution during the pandemic, different circumstances led to different experiences …
COVID-19: American Federation Of Teachers President Calls For Full School Reopenings In Fall COVID-19: American Federation Of Teachers President Calls For Full School Reopenings In Fall
Covid-19: American Federation Of Teachers President Calls For Full School Reopenings In Fall The head of the second-largest teachers union in the United States is calling on a full return to five-day-a-week in-person learning at all schools in the fall, declaring that her organization was “all-in.” In an address posted on social media, Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers said that with more and more Americans becoming eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, it is imperative that schools fully reopen for students and staff during the next academic year. “Conditions have changed,” she said. "We can and we must reopen schools in the fall for in-person te…
COVID-19: US Education Secretary Touts Success Of Local School District In Visit To Westchester COVID-19: US Education Secretary Touts Success Of Local School District In Visit To Westchester
Covid-19: US Education Secretary Touts Success Of Local School District In Visit To Westchester United States Education Secretary Miguel Cardona took his “Help is Here” school reopening tour to the Hudson Valley with a visit to one of the region’s largest high schools. Cardona, the former Education Commissioner for the State of Connecticut, came to Westchester for a pair of events at White Plains High School on Thursday, April 22 and praised how the district was navigating the return to in-person learning amid the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the Department of Education, during the "Help is Here" tour, Cardona visits schools that have "successfully reopened and stayed open to highl…
COVID-19: CDC Issues New Guidance On Social Distancing For Students COVID-19: CDC Issues New Guidance On Social Distancing For Students
Covid-19: CDC Issues New Guidance On Social Distancing For Students The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) has issued new guidance on social distancing in schools. The agency announced late Friday morning, March 19 that students can sit 3 feet apart instead of 6 feet as long as they are wearing masks. The move will allow for more desks in classrooms and a more stable schedule for students. The new guidance, for K-12 students, includes all communities, regardless of whether the transmission rate is substantial, moderate, or low, according to the CDC. The announcement comes following a study published in the journal Clinical Infectious Disea…
No Charges For Jersey Shore Man Who Posted Facebook Threats Against Sparta Schools No Charges For Jersey Shore Man Who Posted Facebook Threats Against Sparta Schools
No Charges For Jersey Shore Man Who Posted Facebook Threats Against Sparta Schools A Jersey Shore man accused of posting threats toward Sparta school officials on social media will not face criminal charges, authorities said. The Wall Township man shared a message Friday calling for people to "knock down the doors of the BOE members and union leaders" if Sparta schools aren’t fully reopened soon, DailyRecord reports citing Police Lt. John Lamon. A follow-up investigation of the alleged threats determined that the man was “just venting,” the report says. "The detective bureau followed up and made contact with him," Lamon told the outlet. "The guy said 'I'm not looking to …
COVID-19: Putnam Officials Ask State For Better Guidance On Schools COVID-19: Putnam Officials Ask State For Better Guidance On Schools
Covid-19: Putnam Officials Ask State For Better Guidance On Schools Officials in Putnam County are seeking guidance from the state as they look to reopen more schools for in-person learning while avoiding community spread of COVID-19. Nearly a year into the pandemic, with various parts of the economy re-opening in different stages, parents, education, local and health officials are questioning: “what is next for schools?” “Parents and caregivers are understandably concerned,” Putnam County Department of Health Educator Susan Hoffner said. “Families have varied needs and levels of comfort with the delivery of education, as well as the safety precautions in …
COVID-19: CDC Releases New Guidance, Strategies For Reopening Schools COVID-19: CDC Releases New Guidance, Strategies For Reopening Schools
Covid-19: CDC Releases New Guidance, Strategies For Reopening Schools The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is encouraging schools and school districts to reopen safely and has just released new guidance for doing just that. On Friday, Feb. 12, the CDC unveiled the new science-based plan. “It is critical for schools to open as safely and as soon as possible, and remain open, to achieve the benefits of in-person learning and key support services,” health officials said. “To enable schools to open safely and remain open, it is important to adopt and consistently implement actions to slow the spread of COVID in schools and in the community.” The…
Senate Holds Confirmation Hearing For CT Commissioner Named By Biden To Be Education Secretary Senate Holds Confirmation Hearing For CT Commissioner Named By Biden To Be Education Secretary
Senate Holds Confirmation Hearing For CT Commissioner Named By Biden To Be Education Secretary Connecticut Education Commissioner Miguel Cardona appeared before the Senate’s education committee on Wednesday, Feb. 3 for a confirmation hearing after being nominated to serve as the United States' Education Secretary by President Joe Biden. Cardona, a lifelong Meriden resident, was announced as a choice to join Biden’s Cabinet as Education Secretary in late December. If nominated, the 45-year-old Cardona will be tasked with overseeing one of Biden’s key goals for his first 100 days by re-opening the majority of the nation’s elementary and middle schools for in-person learning. Before d…
Hudson County District Remote Since August Extends Virtual Learning Through January Hudson County District Remote Since August Extends Virtual Learning Through January
Hudson County District Remote Since August Extends Virtual Learning Through January A Hudson County school district whose students haven't been in the classrooms this year yet will have to wait even longer. West New York schools have extended remote learning until Jan. 31, 2021, Superintendent Clara Brito Herrera said in a letter to parents Dec. 7. "This decision is not one that is made lightly, but safety and instruction have been our priority during this unprecedented time," she said.  " Our comprehensive reopening plan will still be phased in throughout the second half of the school year and our goal remains to eventually enter hybrid learning in the near future."…
COVID-19: Westchester School District To Remain Remote Longer, After Staffer Tests Positive COVID-19: Westchester School District To Remain Remote Longer, After Staffer Tests Positive
Covid-19: Westchester School District To Remain Remote Longer, After Staffer Tests Positive A Westchester school district will continue learning remotely at least a little longer to allow proper time to test students and staff for COVID-19 after being designated as one of the state's "yellow zone" micro-clusters."  Related story - COVID-19: Maps Released For Newly Added Cluster Zones In Area New Rochelle Schools Superintendent Alex Marrero announced that the district would remain on all-virtual learning through Wednesday, Dec. 9, at which point elementary and middle school students will return to a hybrid model in two phases. The news comes a day after the district repo…
COVID-19: School District In Westchester Will Stay Remote Through At Least January COVID-19: School District In Westchester Will Stay Remote Through At Least January
Covid-19: School District In Westchester Will Stay Remote Through At Least January A Westchester school district in one of the state’s hottest spots for COVID-19 will be sticking with its distance learning plan through at least the end of the year. Port Chester Schools Superintendent announced this week that the district will not even attempt to reopen until after the winter holidays as COVID-19 cases continue climbing in the village and county. In September, Port Chester became the first community in Westchester to be designated a “yellow zone” due to a rise in new cases and infection rate. As the virus continued to spread, before being upgraded to an “orange zone” earli…
COVID-19: New Studies Shed Light On Connection Between Reopening Schools, Virus Cases COVID-19: New Studies Shed Light On Connection Between Reopening Schools, Virus Cases
Covid-19: New Studies Shed Light On Connection Between Reopening Schools, Virus Cases Despite a recent rise in COVID-19 cases across the nation in the past two months, there may not be as large a correlation between the new cases and schools reopening in the fall, according to newly released studies. International researchers found that there is no consistent relationship between the spread of the virus and the opening of in-person K-12 learning in a pair of newly released studies. According to NPR, a third study in the United States also found that there is no elevated risk of contracting COVID-19 for childcare workers who returned to the classroom. The report found that t…
COVID-19: School District In Fairfield County Staying Hybrid After Rise In Cases COVID-19: School District In Fairfield County Staying Hybrid After Rise In Cases
Covid-19: School District In Fairfield County Staying Hybrid After Rise In Cases A recent rise in COVID-19 cases in the region will keep students in a Fairfield County school district sticking to a hybrid learning plan. During a special Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 13, Westport Superintendent Thomas Scarice said that it could be weeks until students return to a normal schedule due to an increase in COVID-19 cases. Scarice said that the district will stay the course for four to six weeks, at which point they will assess the COVID-19 situation throughout Connecticut before making a decision.  He also expressed concerns about a possible second wave of…
COVID-19: Teachers Federation Outlines Reopening Issues At School District In Westchester COVID-19: Teachers Federation Outlines Reopening Issues At School District In Westchester
Covid-19: Teachers Federation Outlines Reopening Issues At School District In Westchester With students prepare to return to the classroom as a school district in Westchester transitions to its hybrid learning model, some educators have expressed concern about issues they believe should be addressed before opening back up. The Yonkers Federation of Teachers released a public letter to the city’s school district highlighting certain issues it has as it prepares to reopen buildings to students beginning on Monday, Oct. 5. In the letter, which was signed by 17 members of the federation’s Executive Board, the educators said that “district leaders still must address a litany of outs…
Middletown Elementary School Reports 2nd COVID-19 Case Middletown Elementary School Reports 2nd COVID-19 Case
Middletown Elementary School Reports 2nd Covid-19 Case An elementary school in Middletown has resumed classes after a small coronavirus outbreak. Two people from Nut Swamp Elementary School tested positive for COVID-19 and others were asked to quarantine . Multiple people who had close contact with those two individuals are currently quarantining, Middletown Board of Education President Pamela Rogers told Patch. She did not specify whether the positive cases involved students or staff. Nut Swamp closed Friday so the district could clean and disinfect the building, but reopened Monday for all scheduled to be there. Middletown is using a h…
'Low Risk' Districts Have 10 Days To Justify Remote Back-To-School Plans 'Low Risk' Districts Have 10 Days To Justify Remote Back-To-School Plans
'Low Risk' Districts Have 10 Days To Justify Remote Back-To-School Plans Massachusetts is strongly encouraging about 15 school districts to put students back in the classroom. School districts in communities where the risk of COVID-19 infection is low should be offering in-class education, the state said. Low-risk districts that started the school year remotely, and do not have a firm date on when in-class education will begin received letters from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education on Friday, Sept. 18. The letters demand an explanation for the school district’s reopening plans within 10 days to justify full, or nearly full, remo…
COVID-19: Crowd Of Students Gather On School Grounds At District Where Staffer Tests Positive COVID-19: Crowd Of Students Gather On School Grounds At District Where Staffer Tests Positive
Covid-19: Crowd Of Students Gather On School Grounds At District Where Staffer Tests Positive About a week before the scheduled reopening of classes, a district in the Hudson Valley reported a large gathering of students on school property as well as a staffer testing positive for COVID-19. The group of about 75 who gathered on Tuesday, Sept. 8 "did not wear masks or remain socially distanced," said Elsie Rodriguez, Superintendent of the Monroe-Woodbury Central School District, located in Orange County, in Central Valley. As a result of the gathering, speculation has swirled the district may postpone its plan to welcome students back to buildings beginning Tuesday, Se…
COVID-19: Crowd Of Students Gather On School Grounds At District Where Staffer Tests Positive COVID-19: Crowd Of Students Gather On School Grounds At District Where Staffer Tests Positive
Covid-19: Crowd Of Students Gather On School Grounds At District Where Staffer Tests Positive About a week before the scheduled reopening of classes, a district in the Hudson Valley reported a large gathering of students on school property as well as a staffer testing positive for COVID-19. The group of about 75 who gathered on Tuesday, Sept. 8 "did not wear masks or remain socially distanced," said Elsie Rodriguez, Superintendent of the Monroe-Woodbury Central School District, located in Orange County, in Central Valley. As a result of the gathering, speculation has swirled the district may postpone its plan to welcome students back to buildings beginning Tuesday, Se…
COVID-19: New High School In Hudson Valley Goes All Virtual After Two Test Positive COVID-19: New High School In Hudson Valley Goes All Virtual After Two Test Positive
Covid-19: New High School In Hudson Valley Goes All Virtual After Two Test Positive A new Hudson Valley high school is being forced to hit the brakes on reopening and transition to complete remote learning after there were new positive tests for COVID-19. Albertus Magnus High School, located in Rockland County in Bardonia, which planned a hybrid reopening this week, was forced to employ virtual learning when classes kicked off for the new academic year on Thursday, Sept. 10 due to two new confirmed cases of the virus. Joseph Tweed, the Head of School, said that hybrid classes are now being postponed until Monday, Sept. 14. According to Tweed, both people were asymptomat…
COVID-19: Educators Hold Car Parade Protest Saying LI School District Not Ready To Reopen COVID-19: Educators Hold Car Parade Protest Saying LI School District Not Ready To Reopen
Covid-19: Educators Hold Car Parade Protest Saying LI School District Not Ready To Reopen With schools on Long Island reopening this week, some teachers are raising red flags and rallying due to concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. On Tuesday, Sept. 8, dozens of educators in Bohemia held a car parade protest, driving by the Connetquot School District’s administration office on Ocean Avenue, expressing concerns about reopening classes during the virus. The first day of school.in the district is scheduled to be on Thursday, Sept. 10. The Connetquot Teachers Association, which includes hundreds of teachers, has expressed concerns about a lack of available PPE, insufficient …
COVID-19: State Launches Online Dashboard To Track Cases In Schools COVID-19: State Launches Online Dashboard To Track Cases In Schools
Covid-19: State Launches Online Dashboard To Track Cases In Schools With schools reopening with either hybrid or remote learning plans in place, the state has set up its latest COVID-19 dashboard to help parents and educators monitor the number of cases connected to students and teachers. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that New York school districts will be required to provide the Department of Health with daily COVID-19 data regarding people who test positive in each school building beginning Tuesday, Sept. 8. The dashboard will be launched and made public here as of Wednesday, Sept. 9, when most schools will be back in session. Schools are required …
COVID-19: Trump Administration Pulls Funding For Disinfecting NY Schools, Public Facilities COVID-19: Trump Administration Pulls Funding For Disinfecting NY Schools, Public Facilities
Covid-19: Trump Administration Pulls Funding For Disinfecting NY Schools, Public Facilities With schools reopening and more employees using mass transit to return to work, funding may reportedly be pulled by the federal government that is earmarked for COVID-19 sanitation in New York. A New York Daily News report said that President Donald Trump’s administration is planning to strip millions of dollars in COVID-19 aid from the state that could impact sanitizing protocols that have been put in place. Since the outbreak began in early March, FEMA has assisted states with funding to assist in combating the spread of COVID-19 by providing aid to disinfect schools, transit stations, an…
COVID-19: Ocean Township Starts With All-Remote Learning Due To Numerous Teacher Leave Requests COVID-19: Ocean Township Starts With All-Remote Learning Due To Numerous Teacher Leave Requests
Covid-19: Ocean Township Starts With All-Remote Learning Due To Numerous Teacher Leave Requests COVID-19 is causing chaos for some Jersey Shore school districts as administrators -- and parents -- adjust to new learning curves. Lakewood Middle School, for instance, delayed its Friday reopening until next week because eight modular classrooms are not ready.  The Ocean County township's school district plan to erect outdoor classroom units to ease crowding and avoid spreading coronavirus, officials said. Meanwhile, in Monmouth County, the Ocean Township School District switched course --- and opted to resume learning by teaching remotely -- after at least 37 staff members requeste…