Andover Coronavirus: Library, School, MIAA Event Cancellations

ANDOVER, MA — A number of upcoming events in and involving Andover have been canceled as part of efforts to slow the spread of the new coronavirus. All programming at the Memorial Hall Library is canceled indefinitely, and Andover Public Schools is postponing a number of events. In addition, the MIAA Basketball and Hockey championship matches are cancelled, making the Andover Girls Basketball Team the state Division 1 Co-Champions.

The School Committee also called a special meeting for noon Friday to discuss the district's plans for dealing with the virus. The meeting is held in the School Committee Room at 36R Bartlet Street, and can be watched on public access TV (Comcast 99, Verizon 43) or by streaming from andovertv.org.

The Community Choice Aggregation Meeting scheduled for Thursday evening and the Ballardvale Fire Station Groundbreaking that was scheduled for Friday are postponed. New dates are not yet available.

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The Library is remaining open for normal services. Other information is available from the latest town updated.

Andover Public Schools remain open as of 9:45 p.m. Thursday, but the district is preparing for potential closure, according to an announcement by Superintendent Sheldon Berman.

"In an effort to prepare for a potential closure, APS is actively preparing educational resources for students to maintain learning," Berman wrote.

The following event details are from the Berman's announcement:

The following school events are canceled and postponed:

• AHS Global Summit - postponed.
• AHS spring sports - anticipated to start on March 30.
• All APS PK-12 field trips - canceled through April 17.
• APS Middle School Science Fair - postponed.
• Drama Guild Semi-Finals / Finals Boston - METG - postponed.
• Presenters and artists-in-residence in all classrooms - postponed.
• Rentals of facilities districtwide, including the Collins Center - cancelled through March 29.

Event cancellations effective immediately through the end of the 2019-2020 school year

• AASMP; Primo and After-School Orchestra, MS A Cappella - canceled.
• All Bands Night at the Collins Center - canceled.
• All outside of APS conferences, workshops and training participations PK-12 - canceled.
• All Strings Night at the Collins Center - canceled.
• AHS Parent Open Houses - canceled.
• Bancroft Variety Show-canceled.
• Community Programs - canceled.
• Doherty Musical - canceled.
• Infrequent or new volunteers in classrooms - canceled
• Jazz Band Performance at the Collins Center - canceled.
• Junior District Festival in Waltham - canceled.
• Leading Edge Gallery AHS Art Student Reception - canceled.
• MICCA High School Choir in Hopkinton - canceled.
• New England Show Choir Showdown at the Collins Center - canceled.
• Picture Day - canceled.
• Scholastic Art Awards at Tufts - canceled.
• South Elementary School play - performances canceled, dress rehearsal will be
• videoed.
• Show Choir Competition in Waltham - canceled.
• Site Councils/School Councils - canceled.
• State Cheerleading Tournament - canceled
• State Math Meet - canceled.
• Swimming at the YMCA for the Bridge Program - canceled

Events to be held, or held an alternative way

• Staff and Faculty conferences, trainings, workshops and meetings held outside the district - schedule a virtual alternative (i.e. Google Hangouts, Zoom, FaceTime, Skype, telephone) or cancel.
• Community presenters - virtually only.
• Determine internally in schools which meetings are essential meetings, and proceed with in-person meetings as scheduled.
• Early release days, department meetings, content meetings and faculty meetings - continue as scheduled.
• Lunch remains in the cafeteria with the additional cleaning and precautions put in place.
• In-person meetings with individuals outside the school district should be converted to virtual meetings when possible (i.e. Google Hangouts, Zoom calls, telephone).
• Merrimack Fellows, Endicott Fellows & interns - remain in place.
• Parent/Teacher Conferences - held by telephone or video chat.
• PTOs and PACs are encouraged to postpone meetings and events or seek an alternative (i.e. Google Hangout, Zoom Call, newsletter).
• School clubs are permitted to meet only with their school peers before or after school.
• Clubs and activities with students from other districts may not be held.
• The pre-season athletic meeting scheduled for tonight, March 12, 2020, will not be held in the Dunn Gym. Instead, Athletic Director Bill Martin will send home additional information about the meeting and spring sports, as it becomes available next week.
• Visitors are not permitted to visit the buildings, but may participate in meetings virtually (i.e. Google Hangouts, Zoom calls, telephone).
• Volunteers who work in the schools regularly - should call building principals before returning to schools.
• SAT exams - continue as scheduled (social distancing measures and focused cleaning implemented).

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Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that include the common cold as well as much more serious diseases. The strain that emerged in China in late 2019, now called COVID-19, is related to others that have caused serious outbreaks in recent years, including severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). The first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the U.S. was on Jan. 21.

The disease, which apparently originated in animals, is now transferring from person to person, although the mechanism is not yet fully understood. Its symptoms include fever, coughing and shortness of breath, and many patients develop pneumonia. There is as yet no vaccine against COVID-19 it and no antiviral treatment.

According to the CDC, the best way of preventing the disease is to avoid close contact with people who are sick, to avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands, to wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, and to use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol if soap and water are not available.

To avoid spreading any respiratory illness, the CDC recommends staying at home when you are sick, covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue and throwing the tissue in the trash, cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces.

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.