Sherman shifts to remote learning
Makes change after 65 days of in-person schooling
SHERMAN — Following 65 consecutive days of in-person schooling, the Sherman School transitioned to remote learning Thursday after some students tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
The school’s preschool through eighth-graders will be on remote learning until at least Jan. 4, Superintendent-Principal Jeff Melendez announced Wednesday after learning that a student had tested positive for COVID-19.
“Yesterday was the first time a student that attends our school tested positive,” Melendez said Thursday morning.
He said the decision to temporarily close the Sherman School was made following consultation with medical professionals.
“It wasn’t because we had a rampant number of students transmitting the virus — although we did advise students who were primary contacts to get tested,” he said. “The student went home a few days ago, but we were concerned about spread from those who may have interacted with them.”
Melendez said Thursday morning that “between two and four” Sherman School students tested positive for the virus.
He said it’s possible but unclear whether the cases are linked to Thanksgiving break.
“When you look at state data, there was a lull right around Thanksgiving time, and then there’s been a steady increase since, so it is possible,” he said.
Sherman’s sole public school had been one of few in the region to have continuous full-time, inperson learning since the start of the academic year.
“COVID-19 has forced the temporary closure of almost every school throughout the state. I am extremely proud of the tremendous efforts that all students, staff and families have displayed,” Melendez wrote in a letter to Sherman School families.
Melendez credited the cooperation of parents and guardians as a contributing factor to the school’s success of “remaining open for much longer than most, and much longer than expected.”
“These circumstances, although unfortunate, should not result in blame or finger-pointing. Our shift to remote learning is no one’s fault,” he said.
A number of other factors enabled the Sherman School to remain open for in-person learning as long as it did, Melendez said — including the school’s reopening plan, which established mask-wearing, social distancing, hand-washing and sanitizing requirements and measures.
The school’s size also made social distancing easier, he said.
“We completely rearranged the school building so that we’d have adequate space for everyone to be six feet apart at all times,” Melendez said Thursday. “With our size, we were able to maximize our building spaces. We put kids in the library and created classrooms out of offices.”
Staffing adjustments were also made to allow for the division of students into cohorts of no more than 14, he said.
Melendez said he thinks the amended school policy on nonresident student attendance also helped the school avoid potential staffing issues.
Under the amended policy, tuition fees were waived for full-time Sherman School teachers who enrolled their kindergartners through eighth-graders in school this year.
“We’re up to now 12 teachers’ children attending our school,” Melendez said. “We’ve had almost no COVID-related staff absences. Most districts are closing because of staffing issues, but our teachers were not impacted in such a way that they had to take leaves.”
Although the transition to remote learning is disappointing, Melendez said it’s something for which the district had prepared.
“Our faculty and staff have acquired a whole host of new skills that I am sure they are eager to begin implementing with their students,” he said. “Our students, especially those who have already been engaging in remote learning, will be joined by many more classmates online, and there will be new and exciting opportunities and experiences ahead.”
Melendez said about 15 percent of Sherman School students were already on remote learning, and the sudden transition to full-time virtual learning for all students was “seamless.”
“Initial reports this morning are that the kids are doing phenomenally well,” he said Thursday. “We had been preparing for this. Some teachers were having their kids use Zoom in the school so that they would know how to do it.”