Danbury area schools see delays, busing issues amid return

DANBURY — The new year is already bringing challenges to Danbury area schools.

In New Milford, that included 59 absent teachers, five interrupted or canceled bus routes and one van route. In Brookfield, there were 27 teacher absences and a few bus driver absences that required a quick reorganization to cover bus routes. And at least three

districts, including Danbury Public Schools, alerted parents they would start on a two-hour delayed schedule on their first day back to give administrators time to assess the situation.

This all comes as schools are also trying to incorporate new federal and state COVID-19 quarantine guidance into their policies.

From decisions around implementing new COVID guidelines to delayed start times, continued concern about adequate staffing, and bus route interruptions, the issues schools faced Monday are likely to persist in the coming weeks.

Danbury sent a notice explaining the two-hour delay in the morning was implemented to “give our staff time to organize schedules and prepare for your child.”

The morning extended learning program and preschool were canceled Monday, and at least eight buses were affected by staffing shortages and could not run their normal routes both Monday and Tuesday.

The Easton-Redding-Region 9 and New Fairfield school districts also announced a two-hour delayed start for their first day back Monday

Teachers were expected to report as usual in both districts.

New Fairfield said the decision was made to “allow time to assess staffing and ensure we have a safe and orderly return to school.”

Superintendent Pat Cosentino explained in a video message posted Sunday that some staff were going to be absent, including nurses. She urged parents to keep children home if they were sick.

Staff members were asked to report at their usual time.

“We will try to get back to those of you who have left messages as soon as humanly possible tomorrow,” Cosentino said.

Region 9 Board of Education member Cheryl Graziano posted the full letter that Superintendent Jason McKinnon sent to families Sunday night on her Facebook page.

The ER9 letter said the delay was necessary to “evaluate staff availability,” “increase physical distancing for students,” “distribute key resources like masks and furniture to schools,” and “test a small number of staff members.”

Despite 71 total staff absences Monday due to a variety of different reasons including scheduled vacation, Bethel Superintendent Christine Carver said things were running normally.

Carver reported that there were significant student absences Monday, as well.

Region 12, which serves children from Roxbury, Bridgewater and Washington, reported 57 total COVID cases among staff and students over the break. The district’s schools did not have issues with busing Monday.

“But we are not out of the woods yet,” said Superintendent Megan Bennett.

Continued concerns

Schools also alerted parents of the unpredictable nature of COVID’s spread and effect on plans, asking them to be flexible.

Danbury said there could be continued interruptions as cases continue to rise.

“We anticipate that staffing will continue to be a challenge in the coming weeks,” the district’s letter to parents read. It then asked parents to “be vigilant” and frequently check communications from the school to stay alert to short-notice adjustments.

“As you can imagine, our staff members are experiencing their own challenges with COVID-19 exposures and positivity, which is resulting in staffing interruptions and last minute shortages in certain schools,” it said.

DiCorpo said that New Milford schools were able to operate normally Monday despite the staff absences and bus route interruptions and would be “reviewing the impact each day and will do our best to staff to keep schools open.”

Brookfield Superintendent John Barile said that they “always have staffing concerns and our HR department, along with the school administrators work diligently to contingency plan based upon continuously monitoring new information learned about illness throughout the day and week.”

The district was still able to operate normally Monday despite teacher absences thanks to “a lot of planning yesterday by our building administration to ensure staff coverage,” Barile continued.

In Bethel, a portion of the state test kit shipment was able to be distributed to teachers Sunday ahead of the first day back which Carver said was “very, very good” and helpful for staff.

“Region 12 is taking things day by day,” said Bennett. “This current local surge in COVID cases is like nothing we have seen before.”

New year, new guidance

With a new year comes new COVID-19 guidance from the federal and state agencies.

Several districts announced they would start implementing the updated quarantine guidance released from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and subsequently from the state Department of Education.

Danbury said it would start implementing the guidance starting Monday, which shortens quarantine to five days of isolation instead of 10, ends contact tracing in school, and continues to have unvaccinated and partially vaccinated students isolate for five days after exposure.

Brookfield also began following the new guidance Monday, according to an email from Barile.

Newtown schools sent a letter to parents about the updated quarantine guidance. The letter also notified parents that all water fountains were being closed, and students should bring their own water bottles to school to use the fill stations. The district is also temporarily limiting volunteers at schools, and pausing “group work, or extended activities in groups” to keep kids spread out in classrooms.

“We can only accomplish keeping our schools open with your help,” wrote outgoing Superintendent Lorrie Rodrigue, who will be resigning this summer. “I know everyone is more than exhausted and frustrated. We understand.”

ER9 said it would not be immediately implement the new guidance.

The district’s letter notified parents that they would “evaluate these plans and provide an update to all stakeholders as soon as possible.”

New Milford’s Alisha DiCorpo said that as of Monday the district has not yet implemented the new guidance and would be reviewing the information with DPH and local health director, Lisa Morrissey, on Tuesday before making a decision.

However, Connecticut’s teachers are asking for more protections.

The state’s Board of Education Union Coalition leaders scheduled a press conference Monday afternoon “calling for the implementation of new, more stringent safety standards and protocols to create a safe, stable learning environment for our students and staff,” a press release said.

“We all agree that in-person learning is best for our students, but we need safety protocols in place to further prevent COVID-19 from spreading in our schools and communities.”