A growing number of school districts in the Hudson Valley announced students will go back to learning completely from home.

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On Sunday, the Arlington Central School District announced a plan to go full remote starting on Monday. For at least the week of Monday, November 30 through Friday, Dec. 4 there will be no in-person instruction at all Arlington schools.

"This decision was based on our District’s number of positive cases impacting a high number of close contacts that are required to be quarantined since Thanksgiving Day. Moreover, with Dutchess County’s infection rate reaching 4.6% as of Friday, I do not have the confidence that we can ensure the safety and health of students, staff and families, especially since the data suggests that more Arlington cases are possible over the course of this week," Arlington Central School District Interim Superintendent of Schools Lorenzo Licopoli said. "By staying remote for the week, we will be able to safely assess our status regarding additional positive cases and then act accordingly. To be clear, our goal is to stay open for in-person instruction when indicators are consistent with ensuring in-person health and safety mitigation strategies. The current increase in the infection rate, along with increases of positive cases among our students and staff within a short period of time, calls for caution and patience."

Licopoli adds the goal is to safely return to in-person learning on Monday, Dec. 7.

Newburgh Enlarged City School District Superintendent Roberto Padilla recently announced all Newburgh schools will be remote from Monday, Nov. 30 until January.

"We apologize for any hardship this causes your family. We are required to follow the science and recommendations of the medical experts," Padilla wrote in a letter to the Newburgh community. "We preferred a socially-distant, in-person model, however, given the national and local trends, it is prudent for us to pivot to fully remote at this time

The hope is for Newburgh students to return to a hybrid-model on Tuesday, Jan. 19, pending new rules from Gov. Cuomo, officials say.

The Middletown Enlarged City School District is also moving to online learning starting on Monday, Nov. 30 until at least Tuesday, Jan. 19.

As a community of learners, our priorities are academics, safety, health, and wellbeing of our entire school community. In response to the Orange County Department of Health’s November 19 letter strongly urging and encouraging schools in the County transition into a “holiday pause,” our district will undergo some adjustments," Middletown Superintendent of Schools Richard Del Moro said.

Schools in North Rockland, Peekskill, New Rochelle, Yonkers and New Rochelle are all also switching to remote learning.

 

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