COVID-19 Provokes Port Schools Shift To Remote Learning

PORT WASHINGTON, NY — Port Washington schools will pivot to remote-learning Tuesday due to the increase of staff members testing positive for COVID-19 or who are quarantining due to close contact with others who tested positive for the virus, Schools Superintendent Michael Hynes wrote Monday in an open letter to the community.

“What is happening across Long Island regarding the increase in people testing positive for COVID-19 is now directly impacting our district. Currently, there is a substantial number of our staff members who have either tested positive, or have been identified as close contacts in out-of-school scenarios and have been ordered to quarantine,” Hynes wrote.

Hynes said that as a result of the significant number of staff that are not present because of “isolation or a quarantine order, we’ve made the difficult decision” to pivot to remote instruction for the remainder of the week, starting Tuesday, Jan. 12. Officials plan to resume in-person instruction on Tuesday, Jan. 19, but that is predicated on an adequate number of staff members being cleared by the Nassau County Health Department to return to work on that day.

As of Jan.8, there were 164 cumulative positive COVID-19 cases throughout the school district, though only 149 cases involve people who reside in the district, according to the state’s COVID-19 report card. Of that number, 44 staff members tested positive. The schools with the highest number of positive cases are Guggenheim Elementary and Paul D. Schreiber Senior High School within 11 and 12 staff members testing positive for COVID-19. The report card does not list how many people who either attend or work at the school who are presently quarantining due to close-contact scenarios.

Hynes urged parents to continue to notify the respective building principal if their child tests positive or is considered a close contact. The district will continue to monitor cases while following a remote schedule to ensure the reopening of schools on Tuesday, Jan. 19, is deemed appropriate and safe, according to Hynes.

“During this time, we ask that you continue to follow established protocols, stress the importance of social distancing, practice healthy hand hygiene and wear a mask,” Hynes wrote. “This situation is another indication of why it is imperative that we, as a community, all adhere to all the health guidelines and protocols set and advised by our local and regional health officials, as well as the [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention].”

Hynes referred parents to following links for more information:

• www.nassaucountyny.gov/4963/COVID-19-INFORMATION
• https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/home
• www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html

“We are grateful for your continued patience and cooperation in transparency and social responsibility as we continue to mitigate the spread of the virus in our community,” Hynes wrote.