More local schools going fully remote
Staff illnesses, rise in quarantines prompt decisions by districts
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s COVID -19 microcluster strategy for the winter allows schools to continue in-person instruction amid rising cases if districts randomly test a certain portion of their on-site staff and students.
But despite low infection rates among students, sickened staff and widespread quarantines have made it impossible for many local schools to keep their doors open even without a micro-cluster designation.
More Capital Region school districts — including Schenectady, East Greenbush, and Watervliet — have announced they are going fully remote for grades K-12 until January due to rising coronavirus cases, which has led to staffing shortages across the region.
Schenectady City School District, which enrolls more than 9,100 students, will close its building at least through Jan. 8. The district cited staffing concerns and widespread quarantines in a letter to parents.
Currently, there are 89 staff members out for COVID -related reasons and 140 students who have been temporarily moved to remote learning due to possible exposure to the virus.
“While our district’s overall COVID -19 positivity rate remains low, each new positive case in our school community can have a significant impact on staffing due to required testing and quarantine requirements,” the memo read. “The timing seems right for us to take pause, especially with the holidays coming up, and infection rates expected to increase dramatically. We understand the importance of in-person learning and are committed to bringing students and teachers back in school as soon as possible.”
Watervliet city schools, which enrolls 1,260, is also closing its doors and shifting classes online for the week. School officials noted the “alarming ” rise in COVID -19 positive cases in Albany and surrounding counties.
East Greenbush Central School District, with roughly 4,000 students, is also going virtual until students return from winter break.
The Ballston Spa Central schools are moving to fully remote instruction for all schools on Monday and Tuesday, officials announced.
North Colonie Central School District, which saw a sharp rise in infections in recent weeks, has had most of its students learning remotely since the beginning of December after the coronavirus impacted the transportation staff. District officials announced last week that it will remain remote through winter break.
Some schools have shifted only higher grades to remote learning. Bethlehem, Averill Park, Guilderland and Niskayuna school districts have shifted middle and high school students to a virtual program through December.
Many schools had been gearing up to conduct coronavirus surveillance testing for on-site students, teachers and staff in case parts of Albany, Schenectady, and Saratoga counties were declared micro-clusters by the state.
School districts have received Binaxnow rapid testing swab kits, which can produce results within 15 minutes.
Whether schools get to use the tests remains to be seen.