Are schools NOT closing for Covid cases anymore?

I keep getting emails and phone call alerts that there are Covid cases in my school district. Since December started they just inform us and say that school will remain open. In September - November we would close for a day. Is this a new policy islandwide? It's making me nervous.

Are schools NOT closing for Covid cases anymore?

I don't know, that seems kind of crazy. My friend is a teacher at a Catholic School and they were remote last week because of two positives.
Meanwhile my office this week has 5 positive cases that I know of , they withhold a lot of information, and we are expected in the office . So I completely understand your nervousness, I'm so scared it's not funny.

Re: Are schools NOT closing for Covid cases anymore?

We have never closed for a case.
The DOH determines what has to be done.
The kids are 6 feet apart and masked at all times and usually behind plexiglass as well
Only close contacts are asked to quarantine by DOH.

Re: Are schools NOT closing for Covid cases anymore?

Re: Are schools NOT closing for Covid cases anymore?

Message edited 12/6/2020 6:28:59 AM.

Are schools NOT closing for Covid cases anymore?

It deptends what the dept of health tell them. Monday we got a call that we had to pick the kids up by 1:45 and they would have remote learning and go back Friday because of 2 positive covid case. They were then cleared to reopen the building Thursday. I guess it depends on the situation, how long ago they were in the building, if they had symptoms, and how the contact tracing was done...

Are schools NOT closing for Covid cases anymore?

The HS and Middle school in my district have been remote for the last two weeks with positive cases. . They go back sometime this week. My dd elementary school was remote for one day for a staff member who tested positive (I am assuming it was a teacher because she said the whole class wasn’t in and they just came back this past Friday.

Are schools NOT closing for Covid cases anymore?

We only close if they cannot contact trace by the next day. It’s usually when the school finds out later at night.

Re: Are schools NOT closing for Covid cases anymore?

Are schools NOT closing for Covid cases anymore?

My home and work district have both had cases and they have not closed yet.

Are schools NOT closing for Covid cases anymore?

Right now we are completely closed but at the MS and HS levels it takes 2 cases because every teacher the student has, and every student that has lunch the same period as the positive case, has to quarantine. So we close for the length of the quarantines - not just a day.

We are currently full remote because there were a number of cases that caused a large number of staff to have to quarantine across all schools.

Message edited 12/6/2020 9:35:22 AM.

Re: Are schools NOT closing for Covid cases anymore?

Wow! It's so inconsistent among school districts.

Are schools NOT closing for Covid cases anymore?

It's not a school district decision, it's a Department of Health decision. Is going fully remote an option for you? If it's making you nervous I would go that route.

Re: Are schools NOT closing for Covid cases anymore?

Re: Are schools NOT closing for Covid cases anymore?

I’ve noticed this now in my district as well. We had a couple cases prior to Thanksgiving, and the affected building would close for one day for contact tracing. Now in the past week there are new cases daily, and yet all schools have remained open. I was wondering if DOH guidance has changed?

Re: Are schools NOT closing for Covid cases anymore?

Perhaps they are realizing that it does not spread in schools because kids are masked AND 6 feet apart at all times AND there is plexiglass around desks AND they don't leave their classrooms for specials...etc etc etc

Re: Are schools NOT closing for Covid cases anymore?

Re: Are schools NOT closing for Covid cases anymore?

Re: Are schools NOT closing for Covid cases anymore?

Our school district has not closed even once for a Covid case and we have had student and staff cases in every school in our district. The end goal of our district is to keep schools open because this is what the parents want. I do think it’s delusional to think it can’t spread in school. Just go to your schools playground at recess or watch one of your child’s classes on zoom and you will see protocol isn’t followed as strictly as u think. That said, for the most part kids don’t get it as easily or show many symptoms so I don’t think we will ever see outbreaks in schools - that doesn’t mean they can’t get it or are not bringing it home.

I do think the schools are doing a great job at least in my district. I do wish they would close for a day after cases because their contract tracing and quarantine direction as well as info hasn’t been the best in my opinion and we are starting to see multiple cases one after another in a grade level which I find concerning in that vein but overall I guess they really can’t because with the number of cases coming in at this point they would be closing every other day.

The great part is my districts remote schooling is in my opinion just
As good as in school in this environment so every parent can make the choice for their own children if they want to take the risk or not.

Are schools NOT closing for Covid cases anymore?

We get emails all the time about a case in a school but usually the class will quarantine. One day my sons school closed but that was in October.


It’s true that masks and distancing work! It’s evident by the schools. And the kids are not complaining (from what I’m seeing).

Are schools NOT closing for Covid cases anymore?

Our district closed because it needed to contact trace after a large group of kids attended a party and at least one person was positive. I have no idea ultimately how many kids got sick, but school was closed for two days while they tried to notify everyone potentially exposed.

Re: Are schools NOT closing for Covid cases anymore?

DD's school won't close, but the class that had the positive will be quarantined for 2 weeks, along with any teachers or faculty they came in contact with.

Of course this doesn't include everyone who they passed in the halls or shared a restroom with, but so far there have been very few cases.

My sister teaches there and one of her co-workers that she switches classes with was exposed to someone with a positive test last week. Her co-worker tested negative so they aren't requiring her or the classes to quarantine, but the one who was exposed needs another negative test in a few days in order to be able to return. It's all very confusing, but really they're trying their best.

Re: Are schools NOT closing for Covid cases anymore?

Buildings will only close if the call from parents/guardians that have tested positive come in too late in the day to notify people of contact tracing. They will only close for a day and do deep cleaning and notify staff and students who have been ion contact.

For instance, we received a call late in the evening notifying us that one of the elementary schools and Middle school is closed just for today.

Re: Are schools NOT closing for Covid cases anymore?

Our school does not close for a case. It is cleaned every night (as well as throughout the day). When someone tests positive, the class or anyone that person was in contact with, goes remote to quarantine. Otherwise, school is open. We've had fewer than 5 cases thus far.

Are schools NOT closing for Covid cases anymore?

We never closed. All cases were never contracted from school and if at some chance they attended school, they only quarantine that class and they cant come in for 2 weeks while they disinfect their classroom. Students in our district are basically in pods and never leave their classroom and specials come to them.