District delays return to classrooms

NEW PALTZ, N.Y. » The New Paltz school district has pushed back the resumption of in-person instruction by at least a week while it deals with new requirements from the state Education Department about teaching students with disabilities.

According to a letter sent to parents Thursday and posted on the district’s website Friday, revised language by the state mandates that individuals who teach or co-teach students with disabilities must be on site when the students are there. Before that language was released, the district agreed to allow teachers with highrisk circumstances may teach remotely.

New Paltz, which has had online- only instructions since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, was to shift to in-person instruction two days a week at its two elementary schools — Duzine and Lenape — starting Monday, and the transition to inperson classes at the middle school was to begin November. The high school was to stick with remote learning for the time being.

“This clarifying guidance from [the state] has unraveled schedules that had been put in place for next week,” Superintendent Angela Urbina Medina wrote in the letter. “It will require new discussions with our teachers, union leadership, district physician and attorney.”

Medina wrote that if any teachers feel a new plan does not provide them adequate protection to safely return, they can take 12 weeks of leave under the Coronavirus Family Relief Act. Temporary replacements would then need to be hired.

Medina said the district will provide an update by this coming Friday. •••

In the Saugerties school district, a Friday letter from Superintendent Kirk Reinhardt said a Mount Marion Elementary School staff member had tested positive for COVID-19 and a Morse Elementary School student was displaying symptoms. At the recommendation from the Ulster County Department of Health, both individuals, plus students and staff who were in contact with them, will remain out of their respective schools until cleared to return, Reinhart said.

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Dutchess County on Sunday reported an additional death on its online dashboard of COVID data, bringing the total to 165.

There have been 95 COVID-related deaths in Ulster County, according to data last updated Thursday.

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