Schools that serve Shelter Island families are planning holiday breaks with COVID-19 in mind. Strategies range from keeping some students home between the Thanksgiving and December break to requiring everyone to get tested for the virus before returning in January.
The breaks come amid heightened concerns in New York State and Suffolk County, where a spike in cases followed increased social activity after Halloween. Governor Andrew M. Cuomo instituted new restrictions on some business activity and reduced to 10 the number of people from different households who may gather privately for non-essential purposes.
Families planning to travel outside New York to any non-contiguous state for more than 24 hours will be expected to quarantine upon return for 14 days. They can shorten the quarantine by taking and passing COVID-19 tests as spelled out in this travel advisory.
Shelter Island School
Shelter Island School, open for full in-person learning for all students in grades Pre-K to 12, closes for Thanksgiving on Wednesday, November 25. In-person classes are scheduled to resume on Monday, November 30. School closes again starting Wednesday, December 23 with a return to the classroom planned for Monday, January 4.
In accordance with the Suffolk County Department of Health Services guidance, Shelter Island School students or employees with symptoms of illness should remain home, and students or employees who test positive for COVID-19 are required to stay home for at least 10 days.
“I say this often, but thanks to all of our parents and students out there,” School Superintendent Brian Doelger said in a recent letter to families. “You are all doing such a great job with our safety and health situation.”
Our Lady of the Hamptons
Our Lady of the Hamptons in Southampton serves students in grades K to 8 and follows the public school calendar. But OLH students get an extra day off for the Christmas break, which starts there on December 22.
“I am a ‘cock-eyed optimist’ and am praying that things will subside,” OLH Principal Sister Kathryn Schlueter, CSJ said in a recent email. “We pray that we can continue the 5-day in-person that seems to be going well.”
“We love the 14 Shelter Island kids we have,” she noted.
Hayground School
The Hayground School in Bridgehampton, serving children ages 5 to 13, is also open for full-time in-person learning.
“During the holidays, many families are getting together with friends and relatives from different areas or traveling,” Faculty Chair Marcelle Langendal wrote to parents. “For these reasons, the school has scheduled two weeks of distance learning.”
The dates are: Monday, November 30 to Friday, December 4, and, Monday, January 4 to Friday January 8.
“Though our hope is to stay open, these two weeks will also enable teachers to fine-tune any shifts to online learning should it become necessary,” she said.
Ross School
At Ross School in East Hampton, students in upper grades will attend class online between the Thanksgiving and December breaks. Students in grades N to 8 are scheduled to attend in person during that time.
In order to return to school on January 4, all members of the school community — students, teachers, and staff — must have a negative result on a COVID-19 test.
The leadership team trusts that members of the school community will act responsibly, said Liss Larsen, Assistant Director of Communications and Lower School Admissions. “We are counting on it.”
