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In Westchester, Mount Vernon Schools Superintendent Kenneth Hamilton announced that the district will be transitioning to its distance learning model on Wednesday, Dec. 22, through at least the middle of January.
"We have all been watching as Broadway closed, professional sports have been affected, and some states (Maryland) have moved to remote learning,” Hamilton wrote in a message to parents.
“We have also seen an increase in our positive cases and quarantines. I have been very reluctant to close schools, but given the current trends in COVID cases, it would be risky not to do so.”
According to the state's COVID-19 "Report Card," there have been a total of 339 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Mount Vernon School District since the beginning of the academic year, with 175 between Tuesday, Dec. 7 and Monday, Dec. 20.
Hamilton announced that the district will be transitioning to virtual instruction on Dec. 22, with the intention of reopening for in-person learning on Tuesday, Jan. 18, though he cautioned that “extended closures may be necessary so please plan accordingly just in case.”
The move comes as many districts in the Hudson Valley have been forced to transition to distance learning models as New York contends with the holiday surge of the virus.
“We expect all students and staff to be tested before returning on Jan. 18, and we expect to implement weekly testing thereafter,” the superintendent said. “The test is a saliva-based PCR specimen. We are not using the invasion nasal swab testing method.
“I am grateful to our faculty, staff, administration, and board for their responsiveness to the community's needs,” Hamilton added. “Please be mindful of the changes taking place each day and that our school employees are doing a lot to keep up with those changes.”
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