What you should know
- A school district in the northern suburbs of New York City is poised to roll out fully virtual classes this week as the region experiences a surge in COVID-19 cases.
- The Mount Vernon City School District says remote education will begin Wednesday, December 22 through at least January 18, 2022.
- Depending on the trajectory of COVID-19 positivity rates, school building closings may be extended even further, Superintendent Dr. Kenneth Hamilton said Monday in a letter to the community.
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NEW YORK – A school district in the northern suburbs of New York City is set to roll out fully virtual classes this week as the region experiences a surge in COVID-19 cases.
The Mount Vernon City School District says remote education will begin on Wednesday, December 22 through at least January 18, 2022. Depending on the trajectory of COVID-19 positivity rates, school building closures may spread further, Superintendent Dr. Kenneth Hamilton said Monday in a letter to the community.
“We have all been watching the Broadway closure, professional sports have been affected and some states (Maryland) have moved to remote learning. We have also seen an increase in our positives and quarantines,” Hamilton said. “I have been very reluctant to close schools, but given the current trends in COVID cases, it would be risky not to.”
In the letter, the superintendent said that all schools in the district will continue to offer breakfast and lunch from 8 to 10 a.m.
Before teachers and students return to class, they are all expected to be tested, according to Hamilton, and there will be weekly tests in the future as well. There will be free COVID test kits that educators and parents can pick up at their schools on January 3-4.
The Mount Vernon schools closing comes as Governor Kathy Hochul announced her plans to keep schools open safely. She says the state will send home tests with children in classrooms affected by COVID as part of that multi-pronged effort.
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