2 Lakeland Schools Switch To Remote Learning Temporarily

SHRUB OAK, NY — Two schools in the Lakeland district will be on fully remote instruction for the rest of the week.

In a Facebook post, Superintendent Brendan Lyons told the community that earlier Wednesday the district was informed that two students were identified as positive for the new coronavirus: one at Walter Panas High School and one at Lakeland Copper Beach Middle School.

Walter Panas and Lakeland Copper Beach will be on fully remote instruction for Thursday and Friday.

Students and staff who were in contact with the students are being notified and told they will need to quarantine for 14 days.

"If you do not receive a call by tomorrow morning," Lyons said, "your child is not affected."

The district has notified the department of health and shared student and staff contact information with them.

Lyons said he received several questions about how the district determines the length of time schools are required to be on remote instruction after a positive case.

He said each scenario is unique and requires analysis by district and building administration, as well as consultation with the health department and the district physician.

There are three distinct reasons for transitioning to remote learning:

First, an executive order could from the governor due to a certain percentage of positive cases in the town, county or state requiring remote learning for an extended period of time.

Second, depending on the number of positive cases or patterns of cases in a specific building or in the district as a whole, the health department or district physician could advise switching to remote learning in a building or the district for an extended period.

Third, depending on the number of students or staff members testing positive, the district could decide to switch to remote instruction for a short period of time.

Lyons said he understands the frustration these announcements cause, but "this is our reality for the foreseeable future."

He said each decision is made with student and staff health and safety in mind.

"But also with the strong desire to have our students in their classrooms with their classmates and teachers," Lyons said.