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COVID-19: School District In Region Announces Delayed Starting Time COVID-19: School District In Region Announces Delayed Starting Time
Covid-19: School District In Region Announces Delayed Starting Time A school district in Fairfield County announced a change in the starting time for the first day of classes of the new calendar year amid a climb in cases as the highly contagious COVID-19 Omicron strain becomes more prevalent. Darien Public Schools Superintendent Alan Addley announced a two-hour delayed opening schedule on Monday, Jan. 3 to provide teachers with the opportunity to prepare remote and in-person learning for their students "given the expected but undetermined number of students to be quarantined." On Friday, Dec. 31, Westport Schools Superintendent Thomas Scarice said the…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
COVID-19: 'Omicron's A Different Animal,' Says Expert, Sounding Alarm Over In-Person Learning COVID-19: 'Omicron's A Different Animal,' Says Expert, Sounding Alarm Over In-Person Learning
Covid-19: 'Omicron's A Different Animal,' Says Expert, Sounding Alarm Over In-Person Learning A pediatrician who is an expert on disease and vaccine development is sounding the alarm about the ability of schools to resume in-person learning during the height of the new wave of the COVID-19 pandemic sparked by a surge of cases from the highly contagious Omicron variant. Connecticut native Dr. Peter Hotez is the dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at the Baylor College of Medicine and co-director of the Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development. "Here's the problem," Hotez said in an interview on MSNBC Wednesday morning, Dec. 29. "We're kind of going off ol…

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by Joe Lombardi
Schools
COVID-19: NY Announces New School Guidelines For Masks, Social Distancing COVID-19: NY Announces New School Guidelines For Masks, Social Distancing
Covid-19: NY Announces New School Guidelines For Masks, Social Distancing With schools ready to begin reopening, the New York State Department of Health has just laid out its guidance for mask-wearing and social distancing for students and staff. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced that the Public Health and Health Planning Council passed an emergency regulation and a determination was issued requiring all teachers, administrators, and other school employees to submit to weekly COVID-19 testing unless they show proof of vaccination. The emergency regulation authorizes the state Health Commissioner to require weekly testing or proof of vaccine…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
COVID-19: There's 'No Reason' Not To Return NY Students To School In September, Cuomo Says COVID-19: There's 'No Reason' Not To Return NY Students To School In September, Cuomo Says
Covid-19: There's 'No Reason' Not To Return NY Students To School In September, Cuomo Says With COVID numbers continuing to trend in the right direction, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that he expects schools to be fully reopened for in-person learning come September. “Based on the current trajectory,” Cuomo said that there is “no reason” New York cannot reopen schools statewide for the next school year. “We have to get back to school,” he said. “I think there’s no reason why every school shouldn’t be open in September.” Cuomo made note that while distance learning worked for some as an emergency precaution during the pandemic, different circumstances led to different experiences …

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by Zak Failla
Schools
COVID-19: American Federation Of Teachers President Calls For Full School Reopenings In Fall COVID-19: American Federation Of Teachers President Calls For Full School Reopenings In Fall
Covid-19: American Federation Of Teachers President Calls For Full School Reopenings In Fall The head of the second-largest teachers union in the United States is calling on a full return to five-day-a-week in-person learning at all schools in the fall, declaring that her organization was “all-in.” In an address posted on social media, Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers said that with more and more Americans becoming eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, it is imperative that schools fully reopen for students and staff during the next academic year. “Conditions have changed,” she said. "We can and we must reopen schools in the fall for in-person te…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
COVID-19: US Education Secretary Touts Success Of Local School District In Visit To Westchester COVID-19: US Education Secretary Touts Success Of Local School District In Visit To Westchester
Covid-19: US Education Secretary Touts Success Of Local School District In Visit To Westchester United States Education Secretary Miguel Cardona took his “Help is Here” school reopening tour to the Hudson Valley with a visit to one of the region’s largest high schools. Cardona, the former Education Commissioner for the State of Connecticut, came to Westchester for a pair of events at White Plains High School on Thursday, April 22 and praised how the district was navigating the return to in-person learning amid the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the Department of Education, during the "Help is Here" tour, Cardona visits schools that have "successfully reopened and stayed open to highl…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
COVID-19: CDC Issues New Guidance On Social Distancing For Students COVID-19: CDC Issues New Guidance On Social Distancing For Students
Covid-19: CDC Issues New Guidance On Social Distancing For Students The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) has issued new guidance on social distancing in schools. The agency announced late Friday morning, March 19 that students can sit 3 feet apart instead of 6 feet as long as they are wearing masks. The move will allow for more desks in classrooms and a more stable schedule for students. The new guidance, for K-12 students, includes all communities, regardless of whether the transmission rate is substantial, moderate, or low, according to the CDC. The announcement comes following a study published in the journal Clinical Infectious Disea…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
COVID-19: CDC Releases New Guidance, Strategies For Reopening Schools COVID-19: CDC Releases New Guidance, Strategies For Reopening Schools
Covid-19: CDC Releases New Guidance, Strategies For Reopening Schools The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is encouraging schools and school districts to reopen safely and has just released new guidance for doing just that. On Friday, Feb. 12, the CDC unveiled the new science-based plan. “It is critical for schools to open as safely and as soon as possible, and remain open, to achieve the benefits of in-person learning and key support services,” health officials said. “To enable schools to open safely and remain open, it is important to adopt and consistently implement actions to slow the spread of COVID in schools and in the community.” The…

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by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: New Studies Shed Light On Connection Between Reopening Schools, Virus Cases COVID-19: New Studies Shed Light On Connection Between Reopening Schools, Virus Cases
Covid-19: New Studies Shed Light On Connection Between Reopening Schools, Virus Cases Despite a recent rise in COVID-19 cases across the nation in the past two months, there may not be as large a correlation between the new cases and schools reopening in the fall, according to newly released studies. International researchers found that there is no consistent relationship between the spread of the virus and the opening of in-person K-12 learning in a pair of newly released studies. According to NPR, a third study in the United States also found that there is no elevated risk of contracting COVID-19 for childcare workers who returned to the classroom. The report found that t…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
COVID-19: Crowd Of Students Gather On School Grounds At District Where Staffer Tests Positive COVID-19: Crowd Of Students Gather On School Grounds At District Where Staffer Tests Positive
Covid-19: Crowd Of Students Gather On School Grounds At District Where Staffer Tests Positive About a week before the scheduled reopening of classes, a district in the Hudson Valley reported a large gathering of students on school property as well as a staffer testing positive for COVID-19. The group of about 75 who gathered on Tuesday, Sept. 8 "did not wear masks or remain socially distanced," said Elsie Rodriguez, Superintendent of the Monroe-Woodbury Central School District, located in Orange County, in Central Valley. As a result of the gathering, speculation has swirled the district may postpone its plan to welcome students back to buildings beginning Tuesday, Se…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
COVID-19: Crowd Of Students Gather On School Grounds At District Where Staffer Tests Positive COVID-19: Crowd Of Students Gather On School Grounds At District Where Staffer Tests Positive
Covid-19: Crowd Of Students Gather On School Grounds At District Where Staffer Tests Positive About a week before the scheduled reopening of classes, a district in the Hudson Valley reported a large gathering of students on school property as well as a staffer testing positive for COVID-19. The group of about 75 who gathered on Tuesday, Sept. 8 "did not wear masks or remain socially distanced," said Elsie Rodriguez, Superintendent of the Monroe-Woodbury Central School District, located in Orange County, in Central Valley. As a result of the gathering, speculation has swirled the district may postpone its plan to welcome students back to buildings beginning Tuesday, Se…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
COVID-19: New High School In Hudson Valley Goes All Virtual After Two Test Positive COVID-19: New High School In Hudson Valley Goes All Virtual After Two Test Positive
Covid-19: New High School In Hudson Valley Goes All Virtual After Two Test Positive A new Hudson Valley high school is being forced to hit the brakes on reopening and transition to complete remote learning after there were new positive tests for COVID-19. Albertus Magnus High School, located in Rockland County in Bardonia, which planned a hybrid reopening this week, was forced to employ virtual learning when classes kicked off for the new academic year on Thursday, Sept. 10 due to two new confirmed cases of the virus. Joseph Tweed, the Head of School, said that hybrid classes are now being postponed until Monday, Sept. 14. According to Tweed, both people were asymptomat…

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by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: State Launches Online Dashboard To Track Cases In Schools COVID-19: State Launches Online Dashboard To Track Cases In Schools
Covid-19: State Launches Online Dashboard To Track Cases In Schools With schools reopening with either hybrid or remote learning plans in place, the state has set up its latest COVID-19 dashboard to help parents and educators monitor the number of cases connected to students and teachers. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that New York school districts will be required to provide the Department of Health with daily COVID-19 data regarding people who test positive in each school building beginning Tuesday, Sept. 8. The dashboard will be launched and made public here as of Wednesday, Sept. 9, when most schools will be back in session. Schools are required …

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by Zak Failla
Politics
COVID-19: Trump Administration Pulls Funding For Disinfecting NY Schools, Public Facilities COVID-19: Trump Administration Pulls Funding For Disinfecting NY Schools, Public Facilities
Covid-19: Trump Administration Pulls Funding For Disinfecting NY Schools, Public Facilities With schools reopening and more employees using mass transit to return to work, funding may reportedly be pulled by the federal government that is earmarked for COVID-19 sanitation in New York. A New York Daily News report said that President Donald Trump’s administration is planning to strip millions of dollars in COVID-19 aid from the state that could impact sanitizing protocols that have been put in place. Since the outbreak began in early March, FEMA has assisted states with funding to assist in combating the spread of COVID-19 by providing aid to disinfect schools, transit stations, an…

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by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: New York School Superintendents Call On Cuomo To Call Off Fall Sports COVID-19: New York School Superintendents Call On Cuomo To Call Off Fall Sports
Covid-19: New York School Superintendents Call On Cuomo To Call Off Fall Sports The future of the fall high school sports season is back up in the air due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While Gov. Andrew Cuomo has given the green light for “low-risk” sports to get back in the action as of Monday, Sept. 21, the New York State Council of Superintendents is asking him to reconsider a potential postponement of the fall season. 
In a letter to Cuomo sent on Wednesday, Aug. 26, the organization urged Cuomo to reconsider allowing fall sports while acknowledging that “the closing of schools due to the pandemic has led to missed academic and social opportunities for all students.” …

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by Zak Failla
Schools
COVID-19: Photo Of HS Students At Large Gathering In Fairfield County Sparks Concerns COVID-19: Photo Of HS Students At Large Gathering In Fairfield County Sparks Concerns
Covid-19: Photo Of HS Students At Large Gathering In Fairfield County Sparks Concerns Some in Fairfield County are concerned after photos of dozens of teenage high school students failing to socially distance during the COVID-19 pandemic circulated online. The photo of students reportedly gathering for a scavenger hunt - an unofficial annual tradition for seniors - was first posted on Facebook, then went viral online, sparking concerns as schools are nearing their reopening dates. Following a Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 25, the district announced that it has canceled the two half days that were scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 26, and Friday, Aug. 28 that had be…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
COVID-19: CDC Issues New Guidance On Reopening Schools COVID-19: CDC Issues New Guidance On Reopening Schools
Covid-19: CDC Issues New Guidance On Reopening Schools A host of new guidance on reopening schools amid the COVID-19 pandemic has just been released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). More detailed recommendations on selected topics the CDC had previously only provided a few sentences on have now been added. In the new guidelines, published Friday, Aug. 21, the CDC said it "does not currently recommend universal symptom screenings (screening all students grades K-12) be conducted by schools," but did not add a specific reason. Schools should develop an "emergency operations plan" for daily monitoring of COVID and res…

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by Joe Lombardi
Schools
COVID-19: Poughkeepsie City School District To Start Year Remotely COVID-19: Poughkeepsie City School District To Start Year Remotely
Covid-19: Poughkeepsie City School District To Start Year Remotely The City of Poughkeepsie's Board of Education decided to conduct schooling remotely after 57.8 percent of surveyed parents reported that they would prefer their children learn from home in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. "This was not an easy decision to make, but please know that it was made with the best interest of all of our students, teachers, staff and parents in mind," wrote Superintendent Eric J. Rosser in a letter to district parents.  "Additional factors that informed this decision include a great need to guarantee that the safety and health of students and staff will be prot…

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by Christina Coulter
Schools
COVID-19: Teachers From Westchester Express Concerns About Schools Reopening COVID-19: Teachers From Westchester Express Concerns About Schools Reopening
Covid-19: Teachers From Westchester Express Concerns About Schools Reopening With schools in New York set to physically reopen in September, some teachers in the Hudson Valley have shown trepidation about returning to the classroom during the COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier this month, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and state health officials announced that due to low COVID-19 infection rates statewide, all schools would be permitted to resume in-person learning, albeit with certain restrictions in place. All 749 New York school districts were instructed to provide the state with guidance on how they planned to reopen and handle potential remote learning, testing, and contac…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
COVID-19: Cuomo Aide Responds After Some Schools Say They Did Submit In-Person Reopening Plans COVID-19: Cuomo Aide Responds After Some Schools Say They Did Submit In-Person Reopening Plans
Covid-19: Cuomo Aide Responds After Some Schools Say They Did Submit In-Person Reopening Plans There has been some confusion over whether or not some school districts in New York have or have not submitted their reopening plans to the Department of Health as they prepare to reopen for in-person learning. Before reopening, all 749 school districts in New York had to submit their reopening plan that includes guidance on how they plan to handle potential remote learning, testing, and contact tracing for teachers and students. During a conference call on Monday, Aug. 10, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said more than 100 school districts have yet to submit reopening plans, setting a deadline …

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by Zak Failla
Schools
COVID-19: 107 NY School Districts Have Not Submitted Plans For In-Person Learning, State Says COVID-19: 107 NY School Districts Have Not Submitted Plans For In-Person Learning, State Says
Covid-19: 107 NY School Districts Have Not Submitted Plans For In-Person Learning, State Says Click here for an updated story - COVID-19: Cuomo Aide Responds After Some Schools Say They Did Submit In-Person Reopening Plans With the academic year fast approaching, some New York school districts still have not submitted their reopening plans for in-person learning during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Before reopening, all 749 school districts in New York had to submit their reopening plan that includes guidance on how they plan to handle potential remote learning, testing, and contact tracing for teachers and students. However, as of Monday, Aug. 10, New York Gov. …

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by Zak Failla
Schools
COVID-19: NY Teachers Union Wants Clear Protocols, Citing Summer School Outbreak In Westchester COVID-19: NY Teachers Union Wants Clear Protocols, Citing Summer School Outbreak In Westchester
Covid-19: NY Teachers Union Wants Clear Protocols, Citing Summer School Outbreak In Westchester Citing an outbreak that stemmed from a summer school program in Westchester County, the New York Teachers Union has new demands before classrooms potentially reopen in the fall amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The union demanded this week that state health officials issue clear protocols for how and when school districts must close their buildings, and how health officials will perform contact tracing and initiate quarantines in the event of a positive COVID-19 case in a school this fall. In the event of a positive COVID-19 case in a school, the unions are calling for the closure of that buildin…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
COVID-19: Parents Are Ultimate Decision Makers On Sending Kids Back To School, Cuomo Says COVID-19: Parents Are Ultimate Decision Makers On Sending Kids Back To School, Cuomo Says
Covid-19: Parents Are Ultimate Decision Makers On Sending Kids Back To School, Cuomo Says Parents will have the ultimate say in determining whether or not children return to the classroom in the fall, according to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. During a COVID-19 briefing in New York City, Cuomo said that parents are the ultimate decision-makers who will determine whether or not to send their children to school, depending on districts’ reopening plans. “We’re going to make a decision on reopening (as a state) later this week, but just because districts put up a plan doesn’t mean that parents will send their kids or teachers will come,” Cuomo said. “It’s not a matter of ‘Well, the go…

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by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: Formula That Will Be Used To Reopen Schools Across State Released COVID-19: Formula That Will Be Used To Reopen Schools Across State Released
Covid-19: Formula That Will Be Used To Reopen Schools Across State Released Click here for an updated story - COVID-19: State Guidelines For Reopening Schools Now Available To Public The formula that will be used to reopen schools across New York State has been released. Gov. Andrew Cuomo made the announcement at a COVID-19 news briefing on Monday, July 13 in Manhattan. Schools can reopen if the region is in Phase 4 and daily COVID infection rate is five percent or lower over a 14-day average. But if the regional infection rate is greater than nine percent using a seven-day average after Saturday, Aug. 1, schools will then have to close, in effect, "an e…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
COVID-19: NY State Sets Timeline For Making Decision On Reopening Schools COVID-19: NY State Sets Timeline For Making Decision On Reopening Schools
Covid-19: NY State Sets Timeline For Making Decision On Reopening Schools New York State now has a timeline for announcing a decision on how to best potentially reopen schools in September amid the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. During a news briefing on Wednesday, July 8  in Manhattan, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said that the state has set a deadline for making a final decision on whether how or if schools will open their doors in the fall. The state will provide public guidelines from the New York State Education Department to districts on Monday, July 13, and school districts will have to submit their proposed plans by Friday, July 31. Once distr…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
COVID-19: School Districts Given Deadline To Submit Reopening Plans To State COVID-19: School Districts Given Deadline To Submit Reopening Plans To State
Covid-19: School Districts Given Deadline To Submit Reopening Plans To State The clock is ticking for school districts in New York to figure out their plans on keeping students and staff safe if they reopen in the fall amid the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. State officials have mandated that school districts must have a plan in place that includes social distancing, hybrid learning options, and other intangibles if they plan to potentially reopen in September as New York recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic. Some districts have even looked into testing students and staff for the virus upon their arrival at school buildings. The New York State Education Dep…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
COVID-19: NY Finalizing Options For What Schools Will Look Like In Fall COVID-19: NY Finalizing Options For What Schools Will Look Like In Fall
Covid-19: NY Finalizing Options For What Schools Will Look Like In Fall When schools potentially reopen their doors for classes in New York come the fall, they could have a very different look for students and staff. The New York State Education Department and Board of Regents has launched a “school reopening task force” comprised of educators statewide as New York recovers from the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that forced the state to transition to a “distance learning” model. Related story - COVID-19: Have Plans Ready For The 'New Normal,' Cuomo Tells NY School Districts That task force held its first meeting this week, on Monday, June 15, …

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by Zak Failla
Schools
New Fairfield Public Schools To Reopen On Wednesday New Fairfield Public Schools To Reopen On Wednesday
New Fairfield Public Schools To Reopen On Wednesday With crews continuing to work around the clock to clean up from last week’s storm that uprooted trees and downed utility lines, schools in New Fairfield are set to reopen on Wednesday after being forced to shutter its doors for five days. As of 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 22, more than a week after the storm struck, 1,244 of Eversource’s 1,270,056 customers remained without power, including 410 in New Fairfield. Alicia Roy, the New Fairfield Superintendent of Schools said that due to classes being canceled for five days, schools will be forced to be open until the last week of June to meet th…

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by Zak Failla