Rocky Point Schools Closed Monday Due To Coronavirus

ROCKY POINT, NY — The Rocky Point Union Free School District said there will be no school on Monday, as all buildings will be closed due to concerns over the spread of the new coronavirus.

"The district has been closely monitoring the rapidly evolving coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic," Dr. Scott O’Brien, superintendent of schools, said in a letter. "While there is no confirmed case of an individual with COVID-19 in our area, there are cases within our surrounding communities and the overall numbers in the county continue to rise. Therefore, in an effort to be proactive in protecting the health and safety of our students and staff, the district has made the decision to close school for students on Monday."

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All staff will report Monday to prepare for the possibility of online learning if schools remain closed for an extended period, O'Brien said.

All after-school activities will be canceled Monday, and the district was told by Section XI that all athletic games and scrimmages in Suffolk County have been suspended until April 3.

The district will perform a deep cleaning of all buildings, including all surfaces and spaces, during Monday's closure, O'Brien said. The district is awaiting guidance from health organizations and the New York State Education Department.

"While learning in our district primarily occurs inside classrooms with face-to-face teaching by certified instructors, please be assured that our district has been planning viable options should a long-term school closure be necessary," O'Brien said.

Students were asked to bring materials home or travel to and from school over the next several weeks with textbooks, workbooks, and work packets so that needed materials for online learning may be sent by teachers should a long-term closure be necessary, according to O'Brien.

"Please know that this decision was not made lightly, and we recognize the impact such closure will have on our families," O'Brien said. "The district will continue to monitor this evolving situation and communicate any additional scheduling changes should they be warranted.
I thank you all in advance for your understanding and cooperation during this time. I know that these are certainly unprecedented circumstances."

There are 28 confirmed coronavirus cases in Suffolk County as of Friday afternoon, County Executive Steve Bellone announced.

Here's the latest on coronavirus updates in the United States for the weekend of March 13.