Last week, the Plainview-Old Bethpage Central School District announced that it would close until Friday, March 20 as a precaution after a staffer tested positive for COVID-19 earlier in the week. A few days after the announcement, Nassau County ordered that all public schools should be closed through March 27.
“[The school district] was ordered by the Nassau County Department of Health to close all schools within the district starting tomorrow, March 13, and reopen on Friday, March 20,” Superintendent Dr. Lorna Lewis said in a statement to residents. “While there are no additional confirmed cases of COVID-19 that have been reported within the district, we are closing all schools out of an abundance of caution and commit to contain the spread of the virus within our community. This will provide the district with an additional opportunity to initiate further cleaning measures and facilitate social-distancing.”
The schools closed after they shut down Tuesday and Wednesday of last week following the staffer’s diagnosis. As a result of the closure, all school-district activities, after-school activities, extracurricular athletics, PTA meetings and any other events that would be located within the district were canceled. In the meantime, the district says it is working with the county health department to figure out what further precautions they should take.
“We recognize the inconvenience the closure poses to our community and we thank you for your understanding, patience and flexibility,” Lewis said. “While I know the closure is a disruption, it is important to remember that every step we take is intended to put the safety of our community first and participate in an effort to contain the virus.”
This past weekend, the school set up online services for students so that kids can still continue their classes while the schools are closed. Visit www.pobschools.org for more information and to stay up-to-date with the latest at the school district. While staff will not be at the buildings, Lewis said the central office will remain office and most administrators will be available through email.
“We recognize that this news will be concerning to many of our students and families,” Lewis said. “We ask that medical questions be directed to your family doctor/healthcare provider. We will make every attempt to address your questions and concerns.”
In addition to the school district, the Plainview-Old Bethpage Library has shut down all programs until Monday, March 23, when they will evaluate options moving forward.
