Name: School officials worried push to stay open might have led to COVID-19 transmission
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School officials worried push to stay open might have led to COVID-19 transmission

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AdvertisementSuperintendent says virus may be transmitting in schoolSchool officials worried push to stay open might have led to COVID-19 transmissionSuperintendent says virus may be transmitting in schoolHide TranscriptShow TranscriptSUPERINTENDENTS ARE RAISING CONCERNS TONIGHT. WMUR’S CHERISE LECLERC TELLS US HOW ONE DISTRICT IS WORRIED ITS PUSH TO STAY OPEN MAY HAVE CAUSED A COVID CLUSTER. CHARISSE -- CHERISE: CENTER WOODS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN WEARE IS IN REMOTE LEARNING THROUGH AT LEAST FEBRUARY 3, AS THE DISTRICT DEALS WITH A COVI CLUSTER SUPERINTENDENT DR, JACQUELINE COE SAYS THEY’ SEEING EVIDENCE OF SOMETHING NEW -- TRANSMISSION OF THE VIRUS INSIDE THE SCHOOL. &gt;&gt; WE NEED TO LOOK AT OUR PRACTICES BECAUSE WE WERE FEELING GOOD ABOUT OUR PLAN AND THE FACT THAT WE HAD NOT HAD TRANSMISSION, BUT THIS ALSO PUTS US IN A CRITICAL STAFFING SITUATION. CHERISE: THEY HAVE AT LEAST 9 STAFF MEMBERS NOW NEEDING TO QUARANTINE AT CENTER WOODS SCHOOL AND EXPECT THAT NUMBER TO RISE. THERE ARE AT LEAST 4 CONFIRM CASES OF COVID TIED TO THE CLUSTER. &gt;&gt; I’M A LITTLE WORRIED RIGHT NOW THAT OUR EFFORTS TO STAY OPEN ACTUALL CAUSED THIS CLUSTER, THAT PROBABLY WE SHOU HAVE SHIFTED TO REMOTE EARLIER, AND I’M NOT FEELING GOOD ABOUT THAT. CHERISE: SHE SAYS THAT’S BECAUSE THEY’VE BEEN TRYING TO DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO MAINTAIN IN-PERSON LEARNING, INCLUDING USING SUBSITUTES AND REASSIGNING STAFF MEMBERS FOR COVERAGE MIXING UP COHORTS OPENING THEM UP TO EXPOSURES. NOW WITH THE STATE’S UPDATED GUIDANCE ON LEARNING SUGGESTING THERE’S NO NEED FOR FULL SCHOOLS TO GO REMOTE BECAUSE OF EXPOSURES OR COMMUNI TRANSMISSION, SHE HAS CONCERNS. &gt;&gt; IF I HAD UNLIMITED SUBSTITUTES, PERHAPS WE COULD STAY OPEN, BUT THAT IS NOT THE CASE. &gt;&gt; WE RECOGNIZE THAT THE CIRCUMSTANCES ARE GOING TO BE DIFFERENT IN EACH COMMUNITY, SO THE DECISIONS THAT ARE BEING MADE ARE GAdvertisementSchool officials worried push to stay open might have led to COVID-19 transmissionSuperintendent says virus may be transmitting in schoolSchool officials in one New Hampshire district are worried that their push to keep schools open might have led to a COVID-19 cluster.Center Woods Elementary School in Weare is in remote learning through at least Feb. 3 as the district deals with a COVID-19 cluster. Superintendent Jacqueline Coe said the school is seeing evidence of something new: Transmission of the virus inside the school."This is new for us, and what that does is, we need to look at our practices because we were feeling good about our plan, but this also puts us in a critical staffing situation," she said.At least nine staff members now need to quarantine, and that number is expected to rise. There are at least four confirmed cases of COVID-19 tied to the cluster."I'm a little worried right now that our efforts to stay open actually caused this cluster," Coe said. "That probably we should've shifted to remote earlier, and I'm not feeling good about that."Coe said the school has been trying to do everything possible to maintain in-person learning, including using substitutes and reassigning staff members for coverage. That mixes up existing cohorts and opens them up to exposures. With the state's updated guidance on learning, which suggests there's no need for full schools to go remote because of exposures or community transmission, Coe said she has more concerns."If I had unlimited substitutes, perhaps we could stay open, but that isn't the case," she said.Education Commissioner Frank Edelblut said the state understands quarantine requirements involving staff members might be disruptive, but he said schools have a lot of flexibility, and the state is there to support them."We recognize that the circumstances are going to be different in each community, and so the decisions that are going to be made in each of those communities is going to look different, as well," he said.School officials in one New Hampshire district are worried that their push to keep schools open might have led to a COVID-19 cluster.Center Woods Elementary School in Weare is in remote learning through at least Feb. 3 as the district deals with a COVID-19 cluster. Superintendent Jacqueline Coe said the school is seeing evidence of something new: Transmission of the virus inside the school.Advertisement"This is new for us, and what that does is, we need to look at our practices because we were feeling good about our plan, but this also puts us in a critical staffing situation," she said.At least nine staff members now need to quarantine, and that number is expected to rise. There are at least four confirmed cases of COVID-19 tied to the cluster."I'm a little worried right now that our efforts to stay open actually caused this cluster," Coe said. "That probably we should've shifted to remote earlier, and I'm not feeling good about that."Coe said the school has been trying to do everything possible to maintain in-person learning, including using substitutes and reassigning staff members for coverage. That mixes up existing cohorts and opens them up to exposures.With the state's updated guidance on learning, which suggests there's no need for full schools to go remote because of exposures or community transmission, Coe said she has more concerns."If I had unlimited substitutes, perhaps we could stay open, but that isn't the case," she said.Education Commissioner Frank Edelblut said the state understands quarantine requirements involving staff members might be disruptive, but he said schools have a lot of flexibility, and the state is there to support them."We recognize that the circumstances are going to be different in each community, and so the decisions that are going to be made in each of those communities is going to look different, as well," he said.Loading more articles...

AdvertisementSuperintendent says virus may be transmitting in schoolSchool officials worried push to stay open might have led to COVID-19 transmissionSuperintendent says virus may be transmitting in schoolHide TranscriptShow TranscriptSUPERINTENDENTS ARE RAISING CONCERNS TONIGHT. WMUR’S CHERISE LECLERC TELLS US HOW ONE DISTRICT IS WORRIED ITS PUSH TO STAY OPEN MAY HAVE CAUSED A COVID CLUSTER. CHARISSE -- CHERISE: CENTER WOODS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN WEARE IS IN REMOTE LEARNING THROUGH AT LEAST FEBRUARY 3, AS THE DISTRICT DEALS WITH A COVI CLUSTER SUPERINTENDENT DR, JACQUELINE COE SAYS THEY’...

School officials worried push to stay open might have led to COVID-19 transmission

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