COVID classes, year 2.5

Students return as virus resurges

By Osei Helper and Emily Ball | Manor Ink

Livingston Manor, NY – As of Aug. 19, Livingston Manor Central School will resume classes on Tuesday, Sept. 7, with a full five-day schedule of weekly in-person classes.

Regardless of their vaccination status, all students and faculty will have to wear masks inside, though they won’t be required to wear them outside. Everyone is still to maintain a social distance of three to six feet whenever possible. Routine cleaning, such as hand washing, sanitizing and the disinfecting of surfaces will also be in effect. These are the basic guidelines that will apply as school reopens, but there are many more requirements that merit mentioning.

Manor Ink spoke to Livingston Manor Central School’s superintendent, John Evans, and its elementary principal, Christopher Hubert, about the 2021-22 school year and their plans for safely conducting classes during a rise in countywide COVID-19 infections.

Waiting for guidance

It’s important to note that the school hasn’t had as much time to plan for reopening as one might think. Last school year, LMCS had to follow the guidance issued of the NYS Department of Health. But last June, executive orders issued by Gov. Andrew Cuomo expired. From June until the end of July, schools in the state were waiting for information and recommendations on how to reopen from the Department of Health and from the CDC. Though that information did come at the end of July, schools were also waiting for guidance and requirements from the state, but that never came. This left Town of Rockland schools and all others to their own devices, essentially picking and choosing what the school should be doing in accordance with CDC guidelines.

With that out of the way, here are the specifics of the Manor school guidelines. One thing that is probably on most people’s minds is the sports situation. All of the fall sports are outdoor events, meaning that masks will not be required for them. However, this does not apply to everyone. While masks aren’t necessary for players on the field, they may be for those watching. Masks won’t be required if spectators can maintain proper social distancing, but if they cannot, then masking will be required.

Getting to school safely

Last year, Evans described how busing was a big issue. Only one student was allowed per seat. This made getting all of the kids to school very difficult. It also led to other issues. Students weren’t allowed to be picked up at one location and dropped off at another due to spacing issues. The result was that working parents couldn’t have their children dropped off at a grandparent’s house or at a babysitter’s. This problem will be remedied by the new rules that will permit alternate location drop-offs. The buses can thus be filled to full capacity, though everyone will have to wear a mask.

In addition to buses, students will also have to wear masks when in the cafeteria, though not while eating. The cafeteria will be set up to allow regular student capacity this year. Outdoor seating during lunch periods will also be available, and masks will not be required for outdoor lunches this year. Assigned lunch seating is recommended, so that if a student tests positive for COVID-19, contact tracing will be easier.

“In the event we have someone in the building test positive, the CDC recommends that for any students who are exposed, if a student is fully vaccinated, they do not have to be quarantined,” Evans said. The Health Dept. also says that if the masks are worn consistently and properly, then those people are not considered exposed. “In the event that the masks were off, for example at lunch, the student will indeed need to be quarantined,” Evans said.

In-person instruction only

The difference from last year to this is that school will be in session a full five days a week, as compared to four days last year. Remote instruction will not be required by the state this year. Unless a student needs special accommodation and requests an alternative teaching method, there are no plans for remote learning.

The best case scenario for the school year is for everything that has been planned to run smoothly, five days a week, in person, with all activities and events happening with spectators at the desired capacity. In other words, the 2021-22 school year should be as normal as possible. The worst case scenario would be the return of remote learning. Evans described how online instruction causes numerous problems for teachers, restricting their teaching abilities and limiting what the students actually learn.

“I am optimistic, based on what we have to work within this year, that this year is more normal than the last two,” Evans said.

He stressed that the situation is evolving and recommended that parents and students check frequently for updates on the school’s website at lmcs.k12.ny.us.

The State’s guidelines

The NY State guide to school reopening is based almost exclusively on CDC recommendations.

It uses a layered approach to mitigation strategies in schools, based on levels of community transmission, such as wearing masks, COVID-19 screening testing, cohorting, improved ventilation, handwashing and covering coughs and sneezes, staying home when sick with symptoms of infectious illness including COVID-19, and regular cleaning to help reduce transmission risk.

As transmission levels rise, the guide says schools should be prepared to take steps such as increasing physical distancing to minimize transmission. They should also plan for all contingencies and be prepared to pivot to remote instruction as necessary.

Vaccinations

The CDC states that “vaccination is the leading public health prevention strategy to end the COVID-19 pandemic. Promoting vaccination can help schools safely return to in-person learning as well as extra curricular activities and sports.”

Monitoring transmissions

The CDC recommends schools should consider many factors as they prepare for the 2021-22 school year, including the level of COVID-19 transmission in the community at large, as well as vaccination coverage rates in both the general community and the school community.

Mask Wearing

The CDC’s order regarding masks, issued in January 2021, requires that “all passengers on public conveyances ... traveling into, within, or out of the United States ... regardless of their vaccination status, are required to wear a mask over their nose and mouth.” It applies to all forms of public transportation, including school buses. Passengers and drivers must wear masks on school buses. Learn more about the requirement for face masks on buses here.

Masks are also recommended for school events and athletics while indoors. This is particularly significant due to the fact that students under age 12 cannot receive the vaccine at this time.