SHOREHAM — Due to staffing challenges, the Shoreham Elementary School will be moving to fully remote learning beginning tomorrow, Wednesday, January 13, according to an email from Principal Michael Lenox. The decision was made in response to an increase in COVID activity in the school community. Too many staff, students and families need to be tested and quarantine while awaiting results to meet the school’s staffing needs this week. “We are hopeful that we will get the results and be able to confidently reopen next Wednesday, January 20,” said Lenox. 
Breakfasts and lunches will be delivered to all students on the morning bus routes. 
Bridport Central School has also decided to switch to remote learning until next Wednesday, according to ACSD superintendent Peter Burrows.
Lenox sent the following email to the Shoreham school community earlier today:
This year our primary goal is to protect our community from the spread of the coronavirus, while helping our students learn in a setting that best promotes their academic growth and social and emotional wellbeing.  To achieve this goal we have been paying close attention to our local and national data while also carefully listening to the experts’ advice.  As a result we have been consistently adjusting our practices and procedures.  The first half of the school year the presence of the virus in our local community seemed to be minimal but that has recently changed.  In response to this change Nurse Landwehr, the ACSD Head Nurse, along with Nurse McDonough are enhancing our safety procedures and practices.  It is important that everyone takes a moment and reviews the enhancements in the letter below from Nurse Landwehr.       
As you likely know, COVID is affecting our communities now more than ever.  Because of this, we are asking and relying on all of our staff and families to be extra vigilant and cautious.  Some of this guidance we will share below is more cautious than what the health department may currently be recommending, but it is important for us to tighten up our infection control steps at this time in an effort to keep COVID out of our schools. Your school nurses and principals are happy to talk anytime about COVID Guidelines and work through individual scenarios, so please reach out if needed.  Please adhere to the following guidelines at all times:
• If someone in your household tests positive for COVID, all members of your household must be quarantining and following guidance from the health department on how long to quarantine and when to get tested.  DO NOT send students to school if someone in the home is positive.   Even if the student does not have symptoms, they must stay home and follow quarantine and testing guidance from the health department.

• If someone in your household has been identified as a close contact of an individual who tested positive for COVID, please keep your student home until the individual tests negative.  Once that person is determined to be negative, your student may return to school if they don’t have any symptoms.  If the individual tests positive, your students will need to quarantine and you must follow all guidance from the health department. 

• If someone in your household has COVID related symptoms, please keep your students home until that individual tests negative for COVID. Once that person is determined to be negative, your student may return to school if they don’t have any symptoms.  If the individual tests positive, your students will need to quarantine and you must follow all guidance from the health department. 

• If you are affected by any of the above scenarios, you must reach out to your school nurse and principal for guidance on when your student can safely return to school.

• If your student tests positive for COVID, please contact your school nurse and principal.  We want to offer support and guidance on when your student can safely return to school.  We always maintain confidentiality and do not share this information or names.

• Do not send your student to school with any of the following symptoms:  Fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, runny nose, lack of smell/taste, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, muscle aches, headache.  If your student experiences any of these symptoms, keep them home and call the school nurse for guidance on next steps.

It’s important for us to all work together to keep our families and our communities safe right now.  This will only happen if we all do the right thing and follow all COVID rules and guidelines.  We appreciate all that you are currently doing and please reach out anytime with questions or concerns.
I realize the stress that this disruption will cause and do not take it lightly.  I also realize that there will be questions, and I encourage you to email me ([email protected]).  There will be an opportunity to ask questions via a Zoom meeting this evening at 6:00pm.