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Lifestyle
COVID-19: Ellen Surprises Teacher From Hudson Valley COVID-19: Ellen Surprises Teacher From Hudson Valley
Covid-19: Ellen Surprises Teacher From Hudson Valley An area kindergarten teacher who goes way beyond the norm to make sure her students are safe and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic has been rewarded for her efforts by "The Ellen DeGeneres Show." Orange County kindergarten teacher Melissa Stewart, who works at the Cornwall-on-Hudson Elementary School, was visiting the show on Wednesday, Nov. 18, with a group of other teachers, was surprised with messages from her students along with more than $35,000 in electronics and money from DeGeneres. Stewart who visits each of her students' homes, reading them books -- of course while social dist…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
COVID-19: New Areas In Westchester, Putnam, Orange Counties Now On Track To Be Cluster Zones COVID-19: New Areas In Westchester, Putnam, Orange Counties Now On Track To Be Cluster Zones
Covid-19: New Areas In Westchester, Putnam, Orange Counties Now On Track To Be Cluster Zones New communities in the Hudson Valley are on the verge of seeing new restrictions put in place due to new and rising COVID-19 cases. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Monday, Nov. 23 that some portions of Westchester, Orange, and Putnam counties are on track to earn “yellow,” “orange,” or “red” zone distinctions due to the rise in infection rate. In Westchester, Cuomo said that Yonkers, Port Chester, Ossining, New Rochelle, Tarrytown, and Peekskill are on track to become either “orange” or “red” zones. Earlier story - COVID-19: New Westchester Communities Designated As 'Yellow Z…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
COVID-19: Class Goes Remote, School District Stays Open In Westchester Due To New Case COVID-19: Class Goes Remote, School District Stays Open In Westchester Due To New Case
Covid-19: Class Goes Remote, School District Stays Open In Westchester Due To New Case A ninth-grade student at the Bronxville School tested positive for COVID-19, forcing some classes to switch to remote learning on Friday, though the rest of the district remained open. Bronxville Schools Superintendent Roy Montesano issued a notice to the community late on Thursday, Nov. 19 advising that a student in the high school community had tested positive for COVID-19. In response, Montesano said that the entire ninth grade would be distance learning for at least Friday, Nov. 20 as the district and health officials conduct contact tracing to determine who may have been exposed to the…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
COVID-19: Three Schools In Westchester District Go Remote Due To Staffing Shortages, New Cases COVID-19: Three Schools In Westchester District Go Remote Due To Staffing Shortages, New Cases
Covid-19: Three Schools In Westchester District Go Remote Due To Staffing Shortages, New Cases Three schools in a Westchester school district are going remote after new positive COVID-19 cases caused a staffing shortage. New Rochelle interim Schools Superintendent Alex Marrero said that on Thursday, Nov. 19, the high school, Daniel Webster Magnet School, and Columbus Elementary School will be switching to all-virtual learning. Marrero said that absences related to the virus and quarantines have left the schools with inadequate staff to ensure that students are properly supervised. Related story - COVID-19: 130 Students, 29 Staffers At New Rochelle HS Told To Quarantine The new…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Westchester School District Put On Lockout After Threat Made To HS Westchester School District Put On Lockout After Threat Made To HS
Westchester School District Put On Lockout After Threat Made To HS A Northern Westchester school district entered its lockout protocols after a threat was made to the high school. Ossining Schools Superintendent Raymond Sanchez issued a notice to the community on Tuesday, Nov. 17, warning that the district received an outside threat against the Ossining High School that is actively being investigated by the police department. Sanchez said that as a precaution, the entire district will be in a “lockout” which is entered when "the possibility of an exterior threat has been identified and it has been determined that students and staff should remain in a schoo…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
COVID-19: Seven Staffers, 14 Students Quarantined After Positive Test In Westchester School COVID-19: Seven Staffers, 14 Students Quarantined After Positive Test In Westchester School
Covid-19: Seven Staffers, 14 Students Quarantined After Positive Test In Westchester School The latest confirmed positive COVID-19 case in a Westchester school district has forced nearly two dozen students and staffers into a temporary quarantine. New Rochelle interim Schools Superintendent Alex Marrero issued an alert to the community late on Monday, Nov. 16 regarding the latest positive case in the district, this time in a student at George M. Davis Jr. Elementary School. Marrero said that the student was last in the building on Tuesday, Nov. 10, and became symptomatic the following day. The results from his test were returned on Monday night. In response to the new test, Marre…

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by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: School District In Westchester Goes Remote After Positive Cases COVID-19: School District In Westchester Goes Remote After Positive Cases
Covid-19: School District In Westchester Goes Remote After Positive Cases A school district in Northern Westchester has closed for in-person learning for two weeks due to COVID-19 cases. The North Salem Central School District said on Monday, Nov. 16. that it learned of two cases at the North Salem High School/Middle School as well as two other cases at Pequenakonck Elementary School. Therefore, the district's schools will move to remote learning until Monday, Nov. 30th due to a staffing shortage. "Any individual deemed to be exposed must quarantine for a minimum of 14 days from the date of last exposure and should be assessed by a physician," the district …

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by Joe Lombardi
Schools
COVID-19: New Westchester Middle School Going Remote For Two Weeks COVID-19: New Westchester Middle School Going Remote For Two Weeks
Covid-19: New Westchester Middle School Going Remote For Two Weeks Another school in Westchester will be going fully remote for the rest of the month after positive COVID-19 cases forced a staffing shortage. Valhalla Middle School Principal Jason Schrammel issued an alert this week announcing that the school was transitioning to its distance learning model beginning Tuesday, Nov. 17. Students will be permitted to return to the building on Monday, Nov. 30 for the “Valhalla cohort,” and Wednesday, Dec. 2 for the “Odin cohort.” Schrammel’s announcement comes after a student at the middle school tested positive for COVID-19 who was last in the building last w…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
COVID-19: Students, Staffer, Teacher Test Positive At Four Schools In Westchester District COVID-19: Students, Staffer, Teacher Test Positive At Four Schools In Westchester District
Covid-19: Students, Staffer, Teacher Test Positive At Four Schools In Westchester District Several new COVID-19 cases were reported in multiple schools inside a Westchester school district over the weekend. On Friday, Nov. 13, interim New Rochelle Schools Superintendent Alex Marrero issued an alert to parents cautioning that there were newly confirmed positive COVID-19 cases from students at Daniel Webster Magnet School and Columbus Elementary School. A staff member at Trinity Elementary School also tested positive for the virus, Marrero reported. The Webster student was from “Cohort B” and was last in class on Friday, Nov. 6. Five students and four staff members who were in con…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
COVID-19: New Westchester School Goes Remote After Positive Cases COVID-19: New Westchester School Goes Remote After Positive Cases
Covid-19: New Westchester School Goes Remote After Positive Cases A new school in Northern Westchester is transitioning to remote learning after COVID-19 cases. Three people, two at Westlake Middle School and one at Hawthorne Elementary School, are being treated as positive for COVID-19 in the Mount Pleasant Central School District, Superintendent Kurtis M. Kotes announced in an email to the community early Sunday night, Nov. 15. "The individual related to Hawthorne Elementary School has not been in or around the building since Oct. 29," Kotes said. "Therefore no additional quarantine orders will be necessary for Hawthorne Elementary School and the b…

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by Joe Lombardi
Schools
COVID-19: Westchester School District With 34 Under Quarantine Goes Remote COVID-19: Westchester School District With 34 Under Quarantine Goes Remote
Covid-19: Westchester School District With 34 Under Quarantine Goes Remote A school district in Northern Westchester with dozens of staff members under COVID-19 quarantine is closing for in-person education. Ossining High School and Park School will switch to remote learning Monday, Nov. 16 through Friday, Nov. 20. The Anne M. Dorner Middle School and elementary schools will be fully remote from Monday, Nov. 16 to Wednesday, Nov. 18, before reopening for hybrid learning on Thursday, Nov. 19, and Friday, Nov. 20. A total of 34 staff members are under quarantine in the district, Superintendent of Schools Ray Sanchez said in a video posted on the district's Fac…

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by Joe Lombardi
Schools
COVID-19: Westchester School Going Remote After New Positive Test COVID-19: Westchester School Going Remote After New Positive Test
Covid-19: Westchester School Going Remote After New Positive Test Another Westchester school is transitioning to its remote learning plan after receiving confirmation of a positive COVID-19 case. Pelham Schools Superintendent Cheryl Champ announced this week that an individual at Siwanoy Elementary School has tested positive for COVID-19, forcing officials to switch back to distance learning for two weeks. Champ said that students will learn from home beginning on Thursday, Nov. 12 through Tuesday, Nov. 24. Students will return to the classroom for in-person instruction on Wednesday, Nov. 25. Colonial, Prospect Hill, and the high school will continue to …

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by Zak Failla