Somers Announces Guidelines For Beginning Of School

SOMERS, NY — The Somers school district released plans for health and safety as the school year is set to begin.

Superintendent Raymond H. Blanch said the district's approach was based on guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the state Education Department, in addition to meetings with the Westchester County Department of Health and the district's Reentry Health Committee.

"We will be monitoring the COVID situation in our district and community daily," he said, "and, as always, our plans will continue to evolve."

Among the information presented at Tuesday's Board of Education meeting was that all students will be in school five days a week and all schools are back to pre-coronavirus school hours.

E-learning instruction will not be an option, Blanch said, but may be utilized when a student is quarantined.

Starting Aug. 23, all individuals will wear masks while in Somers schools and on school buses. Masks will not be required outside, the district said.

Athletics and extracurricular activities will be taking place, though the district is anticipating further direction from the county health department.

Each principal will hold a virtual meeting to discuss school-specific questions, as follows:

• Somers High School: 7 p.m. Aug. 23
• Somers Intermediate School: 7 p.m. Aug. 24
• Somers Middle School: 7 p.m. Aug. 25
• Primrose Elementary School: 7 p.m. Aug. 26

"We are excited to welcome students back to school and look forward to a safe, healthy, productive year," Blanch said.