There’s been a lot of discussion on various listserves and FB groups about whether or not Newton should cancel classes. Many have raised two issues: 1) what will working parents do with their kids since many don’t have the luxury of staying home or having access to childcare; and 2) many families/kids depend on meals provided at school. These are issues that most certainly need to be addressed (frankly, I’m surprised that we (a universal “we” ) don’t have a plan for a situation like this and hope that our current City leaders are quickly coming up with a plan to address these issues), but I am in favor of doing all that we can to flatten this curve and support canceling classes and closing our schools. It may seem and end up being an extreme measure, but this novel COVID-19 is serious and “we” are so far behind the rest of the world in dealing with it. Leaders have to make tough decisions and this is one of them.
Thoughts?
Weston is closing until at least 3/18 and will reassess. Will use online platform after the 19th if they determine need to still be closed.
Yes, Newton Public Schools should cancel classes right now. Lives will likely be saved. This is a time when elected leaders must step up and take bold action based on the best information available. Keeping the most people healthy for the longest possible period of time will assure our healthcare system is not overwhelmed.
This is an extraordinary circumstance, and I know closing schools presents an inconvenience and hardship. It’s most unfortunate, but it must be done. The best way to get through this situation is to remain calm, keep your family out of harm’s way, and recognize that this awful moment will soon be in the past.
We are on the same trajectory as Italy, about 10 days behind. Like many colleges and universities, we can close schools to most students who are in the fortunate position to be able to stay home, and make exceptions for students and families in need and hardship. So the schools could still stay open with a smaller staff and significantly lower density, with strict social distancing.
Yes. From what we know now, this is happening, there is no stopping it, only slowing it. And slowing it could save many lives.
Wow – I thought I would never agree with Bryan and Nathan!
I would add that if we do take radical action now, we could certainly delay the trajectory.
I guess the other issue is that when we do take the kids out of school, when will they end up going back?
Tough decisions lay ahead! If leadership can not make the decisions, I should imagine the parents will do so instead!
Here’s the letter from Weston Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Midge Connolly:
Superintendent’s Update re COVID-19 (Wednesday, March 11, 2020)
March 11, 2020/in COVID-19, District /by shayj
Wednesday, March 11, 2020
Dear Weston Public Schools Community,
Events surrounding the outbreak of COVID-19 (coronavirus) have progressed rapidly in the last few days both here in Weston and in Massachusetts. We were notified today that a Weston student is symptomatic and the results of their COVID-19 test came back inconclusive. Additionally, a student connected to a previous case is under quarantine. Taking these and other factors into consideration, as a measure to slow the potential rapid spread of this virus, it is necessary to close all Weston Schools for an extended period of time. We will be closing all schools beginning Thursday, March 12th. Schools will remain closed through Wednesday, March 18th. There will be no extra-curricular activities happening in school at this time.
Although schools will be closed, it is essential that we continue to closely monitor student illness. If your child exhibits flu-like symptoms, please contact your pediatrician and email your school nurse.
We will continue to closely monitor this ever-changing situation, following the guidance of the Weston Board of Health, the Massachusetts Department of Health, and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Next week, we will reassess and make a decision whether students can return to school on Thursday, March 19th.
Meanwhile, we will continue to aggressively clean, sanitize and disinfect all schools. We encourage students and families to refrain from gathering in large groups and to continue to practice preventive measures recommended by the CDC. Additionally, educators will start developing lessons and activities that can be taught online if the need arises.
The Massachusetts Department of Education has determined that regardless of the length of district closure, the last day of school for Weston this year will be Friday, June 26th, the 185th day of the district calendar.
Following are links to some resources that you may find helpful:
Talking to Children About COVID-19: https://www.nasponline.org/resources-and-publications/resources-and-podcasts/school-climate-safety-and-crisis/health-crisis-resources/talking-to-children-about-covid-19-(coronavirus)-a-parent-resource
Talking with Children About Coronavirus: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/talking-with-children.html
Just For Kids: A Comic Exploring The New Coronavirus: https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/02/28/809580453/just-for-kids-a-comic-exploring-the-new-coronavirus
This is an unprecedented time for all of us and I want to acknowledge the anxiety we all are experiencing due to the COVID-19 threat. We also understand that keeping students home represents a tremendous challenge for many families. This is a time to continue to closely communicate, work together, and acknowledge our mutual commitment to the health, safety, and education of our children.
Sincerely,
Dr. Midge Connolly
We should have a strategic plan to deal with the consequences of closing the schools. I’m hoping we can determine the most low-risk way to deal with child care in particular. Lots of healthcare and emergency workers in Newton will be working long hours and lots of people will be home (who could probably help with childcare?).
We just need to determine the lowest risk way to match the needs with the resources.
@Simon – glad to see it!
@Bryan: Yes. Hopefully, our city leaders are working in cooperation with childcare providers and organizations like the Newton Boys and Girls Club and the YMCA about services they can provide during this crisis. Also, I am hoping that the City’s Health and Human Services Department and the Senior Services Department are developing a plan to ensure that elders and others at risk can get necessary medical supplies, prescription meds, and meals delivered.
Two thoughts. I believe there is an upcoming spring break with should be moved to next week as a start.
Since teacher wouldn’t be working if schools closed perhaps something creative could be worked out to connect teachers with working parents who would be interested in hiring them. Teacher might also be able to facilitate online and home based learning
The WHO just declared this to be a pandemic. If closing schools will help slow it down, then it seems necessary. If we do, we should follow the protocols set by Seattle.
Fleischman is a very poor leader: he’s stymied the logistically challenging but life-saving and achievement-improving later school start times. And he’s often waited to close schools for snow or hurricanes until forced by an announcement from the governor. I don’t think he’ll close NPS unless similarly forced. If you think that schools should be closed, I suggest you lobby the mayor or the governor, not Fleischman.
Nathan’s strategy is one alternative that makes sense. What some other places are doing (which I realize only addresses half the problem) is having volunteers from places like the local Boys & Girls Clubs deliver meals to the homes of families who depend on school meals.
We should also be supporting the Newton Food Pantry. A lot of hourly workers are going to be furloughed or laid off during this.
Another thought. If children are home, will some parents take them out and about to keep them entertained with an unintended consequence of exposing them outside the schools?
Can someone explain to me why we wouldn’t do this?
Is 2 extra days of classes before we cancel them on Monday going to really make a big difference, compared to the public health risk?
@Clare
No point in taking kids out of schools unless they are going to be kept separated.
We will probably have grumpy parents and kids – perhaps divorce attorneys will get a bump out of this!
I agree completely Simon, but people don’t always exercise common sense!
I want a more directed quarantine. I believe if we close for two weeks (or whatever duration) we as a whole community need to be at home. I told my kids if the schools close we shelter in place – no movies and no mall. We don’t want to spread anything. But the whole community needs buy in for that.
Teachers over age 60 are at risk. I don’t think we can ask schools to remain open.
Frankly kids come to high school sick. I can’t believe we don’t have cases at NPS. We can’t test.
I know my view of things will also cause a stress on local business. But having everyone over 60 at higher risk is not okay.
Hong Kong has been closed since Chinese New Year and things are stabilizing there.
Things will get worse.
We need to listen to the doctors and public health officials.
I’ve expressed my opinion to NPS, SC and Mayor’s office. I got back this statement: “We understand that the recent diagnosis of a Newton resident and the rising number of COVID-19 cases in Massachusetts has raised the level of concern in the City of Newton. The situation is changing rapidly and we are monitoring it closely. At this time, we do not plan to close the schools. ”
If this were actually called Spanish Flu, which has a similar profile to COVID-19, no one would think twice about instituting lockdowns. I don’t understand the hesitation. This is deadly and on a potentially massive scale. Every hour that goes by risks exponentially worse sickness and deaths. Of course we should close the schools. NOW. What are we waiting for? Are we playing chicken with the stability of the health care system?
It makes no sense to say that large gatherings should be canceled, but then only cancel easy stuff like evening courses. I would categorize children sitting in a room together all day as a large enough gathering. Typically asymptomatic, the kids can be walking invisible transmitters of the virus.
Also, I take exception to the common view that because death rates skew to the older set that younger people should feel safe. They shouldn’t. Plenty of people in their 40s and younger have contracted this thing. The whistleblower doctor in China who died, Li Wenliang, was 34. Nobody should be cavalier about this.
The first case of COVID-19 in Wuhan was early December and barely three months later we have 125,865 cases in 114 countries. Governments are failing to stop the spread which is exponential. Doubling every 6 days. It’s here in Newton. At least two people in my family have been exposed to the virus, which works its way into your lungs, blocking gas exchange, causing pneumonia and possible death of roughly 3% of cases. Hardly anyone is getting tested. The rapid spread will use up available capacity in hospitals. Italy here we come. The only way to stop it is to minimize any social contact.
Yes, of course, close the schools.
The comment about Dr. Fleischman is a cheap shot, Margaret. Can’t imaging having to be in his shoes right now.
Heck, they just suspended the NBA season.
This is a big decision. Once schools close, it is highly unlikely the state of the pandemic will ever make it seem safe to reopen them before June, so you are looking at 3 months of half of Newton’s budget going to school employee salaries with no educational delivery in return.
South Korea mandated that shut down schools provide child care as needed. As a society, we need our power, water, health care, police fire protection, healthcare, and food supply chain to continue to function. A percentage of those parents don’t have provisions for their kids to not be in school.
Could school year be pushed to summer? What can unions and city do to work together on this?
There’s no hard data yet as to which interventions have proved most successful, but Ash Tuite et al are an impressive group of modelers in Toronto. They’ve run simulations and essentially concluded school closures are necessary to keep acute care demand within manageable limits. (https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2020/03/10/social-distancing-could-go-a-long-way-toward-slowing-down-covid-19-researchers-say.html) As Bryan points out above, there’s absolutely no reason to wait another day.
Yes, of course the schools need to be closed immediately. If this were a weather related natural disaster we wouldn’t be wringing our hands over this. Schools would be shuttered, businesses closed and none but essential employees leaving home. I read today a stunning letter written by a hospital physician in Italy before the national quarantine. They cannot keep up with the influx of patients. They cannot treat all patients and they are forced to choose who to treat and who not to treat based on their perceived chance of survival. They are practicing medicine like they are in a M.A.S.H. unit.
That’s what we face if we don’t act, and we have already lost precious time.
Kids don’t go to school in the summer and Newton Families get through it just fine. It’s a pandemic. Cool it on the daycare thing like families who need it don’t know how to do it.
Jack Prior, Teachers aren’t baby sitters.
“Proactive proactive school closing saved substantial numbers of lives. St. Louis closed the schools about a day in advance of the [spanish flu] epidemic spiking, for 143 days. Pittsburgh closed 7 days after the peak and only for 53 days. And the death rate for the epidemic in St. Louis was roughly one-third as high as in Pittsburgh. These things work.”
–
https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/03/does-closing-schools-slow-spread-novel-coronavirus
Close the schools! Stop the spread!!!! We don’t have enough tests and it is in our community. I am not an alarmist usually.
I told my kids we will not be attending concerts, malls, movies and such. We need to be at home and stop the spread.
And the B.A.A. needs to postpone the Marathon, which is still officially on. Mayor Fuller can encourage their decision by withholding the permits required for the Marathon in Newton. “You don’t need to cancel your race but find another way to get from Wellesley to Brighton. Newton is out.”
@Kim — For 10 months of the year, the school system ensures the safety of our age 5-11 population on weekdays. For the other (predictable) 2 months of the year, parents do their best to string together summer camps(not happening now), grandparent visits (off limits now), and vacation time (not happening now).
We have to slow the spread and also support the parents keeping the critical functions of society running. Regardless of what we do, I suspect we will have more Coronavirus cases in Newton in late May than today so there is a good chance this is a long term decision to close for the year, not a snowstorm.
Just for background I’m a biochemical engineer and work on modeling the dynamics of microbe growth, albeit in bioreactors rather than populations. I was also due to be traveling in Vietnam the past two weeks via Seattle and South Korea, so I’ve been watching the virus and its data closely for two months.
One new thing I learned last night is that children may not be the primary transmission vectors for this disease that I have feared. See the sections here on transmission by children:
https://arstechnica.com/science/2020/03/dont-panic-the-comprehensive-ars-technica-guide-to-the-coronavirus/
CLOSE EVERYTHING. We can develop a meals on wheels type of situation for kids who get free and reduced lunch. I’d volunteer and I’m sure lots of people would. Let’s do this. No more hemming and hawing.
Hi folks, You know I’ve been as forceful as any regarding social distancing, but this level of decision needs careful thought and advice from epidemiologists and others. There are many implications for the children and families and the broader community. Better to give our officials a little space to think it through and make a decision based on best evidence.
Mike Zilles needs to come out in support of his teachers if Fleichman won’t.
Newton’s population of parents includes many skilled and creative technologists and educators. Closing the schools doesn’t have to mean shutting down education; many of the nation’s colleges “closing” are really just moving to distance learning or similar solutions. Certainly we should be able to organize a force of volunteers from the community to assist Newton Public Schools in quickly bringing up a set of solutions to keep our children learning.
Yes, there are significant challenges: unequal access to technology; curricula unadapted to distance learning; teachers not trained to use required software or systems; uncertain sources of funding for what in many cases have been significant required investments. But that’s my point: we should be pulling together to address these challenges.
What Paul said. This is a complex decision – closing schools can have detrimental outcomes for many K-12 students. I have full confidence in Newton’s Health and Human Services department and know they are working closely with the Mayor and NPS. By all accounts, the Mayor
and the central administration are working closely together nonstop. As an example, the staff and parents were informed about a second-degree exposure ASAP and the deep cleaning of that elementary school began immediately.
In fact, everyone working in the schools is taking this beyond seriously. Of course, Mike Zilles is a central part of the conversation with the central administration, and to be clear, his highest concern is the health of all students, staff, and the community as is everyone else working on this crisis. Keeping everyone safe is the top priority, but it’s more complex within a public school situation.
I feel confident that the decision-makers will know when to pull the plug and that we’re not going to be Pittsburgh.
Closing the K-12 public school system is a complex decision. Making sure that vulnerable children are safe and have adequate nutrition and care is certainly one of my top concerns about an elongated shutdown, and one I’ve heard from everyone at all levels of the system.
I have full confidence in Newton’s Health and Human Services department. The mayor and NPS are working on this nonstop and responded promptly and effectively to a second-degree exposure. Parents and staff were informed ASAP and the city completed a deep cleaning of the building before anyone reentered it.
Mike Zilles is most definitely included in the effort to contain the virus and is also working nonstop on it. To be clear, his concerns – like everyone else’s – is the health and well being of the students, staff, and community.
I feel confident that the city will know when to pull the plug. We will not be Pittsburgh.
This Globe op-Ed includes discussion of school closings, by Dr. Marc Lipsitch, professor of epidemiology and director of the Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/03/11/opinion/interventions-we-must-take-control-coronavirus/
I would note that the UMass system and the University of Vermont are now mandating remote classes. UVM students are being encouraged not to return to halls of residence after spring break.
Without a vaccine, we cannot prevent infection through contact. But social distancing measures and good hygiene can surely slow it down. What’s important to the healthcare system, the economy, and society at large is that we don’t all come down with it at the same time.
Closing the schools, albeit with measures to provide alternative childcare, would be a good step.
Excellent article, outlining some of the issues related to closing schools. To be clear, this virus is highly contagious. My comment stated above could be out of date an hour from now.
Why take a jab at Pittsburgh? Not nice Jane
And schools shouldn’t be responsible for childcare, Bob. On the parents. Schools teach they don’t babysit.
The silence is deafening. I have emailed the mayor, the school committee, etc. Yesterday there was a letter. But things change, and if we are stopping things with large numbers of attendees, why is Newton South, with 2,000 kids, still in session. EVERY Newton School has more than 250 people in the building. WHY is there silence?
BTW, there is NO PURREL on the school busses. Only the drivers have wipes. How often do we all touch our faces. I am really upset.
Like the rest of us, elected officials have never experienced anything like this before. Their decisions should be informed and calculated, not driven by panic. I appreciate the burden officials like Mayor Fuller must feel at a time like this. But this moment will shape the legacy of many elected leaders, particularly those who hold chief executive positions. Those leaders must put public health and safety above all else. Convenience and lifestyle disruptions cannot impede good decision making at a time of growing crisis. It’s far better to get out ahead of the curve than to have the health care system be deluged by a tidal wave of illness. Mayor Fuller should recognize this and close all schools immediately.
@Nathan, thanks for the link – I won’t try it at the moment as I haven’t heard yet that the Globe has taken down its paywall. Accomplished and impressive gentleman, Dr. Lipsitch; not especially a maverick. (Please don’t take offense, if you’re on here. I don’t mean it badly, except to acknowledge that only the minority of school districts are closed.) I don’t recall if I have a response upstream – epidemiologist, square against putting kids in classrooms with no meaningful community disease surveillance nor knowledge of transmissibility via child. Mine are home. Principal Turner shared this today: “At this time, per the guidance from Newton HHS, school will remain open and continue to operate on a regular schedule. It is within a parent/guardian’s right to keep their student home from school. However, these absences would be treated in accordance with the existing absence protocols . . .” Heaven forbid we flex the policy a tad lest we all take advantage and jet to Aruba.
May I suggest we use the slightly more public Twitter as a medium to pressure the Mayor, the Superintendent, and HHS?
Mayor better do something quick. Schools should be closed until Sept.
Shared by a friend. Great case for closing the schools, looking at Spanish Flu responses:
“What they found was that proactive school closing saved substantial numbers of lives. St. Louis closed the schools about a day in advance of the epidemic spiking, for 143 days. Pittsburgh closed 7 days after the peak and only for 53 days. And the death rate for the epidemic in St. Louis was roughly one-third as high as in Pittsburgh. These things work.”
https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/03/does-closing-schools-slow-spread-novel-coronavirus?fbclid=IwAR16_rMTU-Mp6HaThEEwKTHADMmI1va4b1vw2sVi9mjR5GqY9ysxF5iXM9c
Wellesley Public Schools are closed for two weeks
To all those who share my frustration – perhaps I’ll detail downstream – I suggest taking to the more public medium of Twitter to get the point across.
I have already retweeted this blogs post. Given my scant 12 or so followers, concerted retweeting may help get the message across.
@Bryan Barash – Please be careful with information and cause-and-effect.
A case can definitely be made for closing schools …. but. There were far more differences between Pittsburgh and St Louis’s handling of the 1918 flu then just the schools – including a 200,000 person parade in Pittsburgh that lit the fuse that blew up the city.
FYI, here’s the excerpt from that Globe op-ed, by Dr. Marc Lipsitch, professor of epidemiology and director of the Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, related to this topic:
“One intervention where the way forward is less clear is school closings. School closings clearly hamper transmission of seasonal and pandemic flu; some evidence also exists for other respiratory viruses. Some districts in the United States are closing schools now. What role will this play in controlling the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19?
“The data are limited and conflicting. Reports from China on over 44,000 cases suggested just 2.4 percent of confirmed cases were in children under 19. Korea, which has tested more widely, had twice that proportion, but still low case numbers in children. A study in Shenzhen, China, while smaller, found that children were just as likely to get infected as other age groups. It is clear that children have milder symptoms than adults, and it seems that studies that look harder, testing more and milder cases, find more cases among children. This suggests that children may play a role in transmission, perhaps less important than in flu, but still important. More research is desperately needed, but we may not have time to get compelling answers before decisions are needed. The decision on school closure will come down to a choice between two bad options.
“Closing schools may be a major contribution to controlling the epidemic spread, but we can’t be sure. Closing schools, however, has multiple costs — lost education, loss of essential workers, including medical and public health workers who need to care for their children if schools are closed, loss of school meals and mental health services, and other harms that will disproportionately hit the least advantaged.”
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/03/11/opinion/interventions-we-must-take-control-coronavirus/
@Paul – Thank you, though it’s not much of an opinion. More of a studied consideration of 2 opposing opinions (and their underpinnings.) Intellectually stimulating. Not very actionable.
Newton, keep commenting. We’ll can win this one today.
Wellesley Public Schools closed for two weeks. BAA postpones Boston Marathon.
Here’s an opinion:
(And while I do have legit cred as a physician and an epidemiologist, I direct absolutely 0 Centers at Harvard – much less one as germane as Communicable Disease Dynamics – I do have a thought that conforms to the definition of an opinion.)
Newton should close its schools; and here’s why.
The decision should rest on:
1. A credible estimate of persons currently infected in the city
2. A secondary child –> attack rate
The public has neither at the moment, and to presume that they are both sufficiently low to safely allow continued and very intimate (?) social mixing is the height of arrogance. To do so, puts us in the company of our the Federal government – and that is not good company right now.
School closures are reversible; death not so much.
Acton-Boxborough Regional School District
15 Charter Road, Acton, MA 01720
http://www.abschools.org (978) 264-4700
March 12, 2020
Dear families,
Since our communication yesterday, we have seen a significant shift in the coronavirus outbreak. We spoke this morning with our local health department officials and at this time, we still do not have any presumptive or confirmed cases in Acton or Boxborough. However, in the last 24 hours, we have seen an increase in secondary and tertiary contacts reporting possible contact with an individual who may have been tested for the virus. Therefore, we have decided to take proactive measures to slow the rapid spread of the virus.
We have made the decision to close all Acton-Boxborough Regional Schools starting tomorrow, March 13th. Schools will remain closed through Friday, March 20th. It is important for families to understand that this is an initial determination, and as we monitor the outbreak next week, it is likely that this may lead to a longer closure. This
closure applies to all schools, including students who are attending out-of-district schools, extra-curricular activities, extended day before/after school care, athletics, clubs, and building use.
Closing our schools are only a part of the broader solution to prevent community spread of this virus. If students and families continue to meet together in groups outside of school, this initial 6-day closure will not have the desired impact. It is critical that students and families refrain from meeting in large groups and to practice social distancing as recommended by the CDC.
We will continue to closely monitor this situation and follow the guidance of our local boards of health, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH), and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). We will make a decision about whether we need to extend the March 13th-March 20th closure for a longer
period of time no later than Friday, March 20th, and we will communicate that to families as soon as possible. Regardless of the length of our district closure, DESE has determined that the last day of school for ABRSD this year will be Tuesday, June 23rd, the 185th day scheduled on our District calendar.
While we are closed 3/13-3/20/2020:
● Our educators will meet tomorrow to develop lessons and activities that students can access from home both with and without devices.
● Our custodial staff will be cleaning and disinfecting all schools.
● School offices will be open on Friday, 3/13/20 in the event a family member needs to pick up materials. Please contact the school office prior to coming to the school building to let them know you are coming.
● If you are sick, do not come to the school on 3/13/20.
As we move through next week, we will communicate with you further with additional details about our closure. Over the next 24-48 hours, you will hear additional details from your school principals regarding the availability and plan for ongoing learning opportunities during this closure. We recognize that this is unprecedented and that this closure will be a significant burden for a number of our families. Please know that we remain committed to supporting you to the greatest extent possible during this time.
Sincerely,
ABRSD Leadership Team
@Amy et al – keep it coming
I have posts on Twitter – a very visible forum – that could use some retweeting (as I don’t usually Tweet and have ~ 10 followers)
FWIW, my kids are home, and I was duly informed by Principal Turner that my child’s absence would be counted to their disadvantage, as per routine.
We can’t go bending rules, lest families use a frightening pandemic to their advantage and jet off to Aruba.
The more I think about it, the more Dr. Lipsitch’s comments seem out of touch. Our outbreak is currently resembling Italy’s more than any other, and that’s a disaster. And it looks that way because of our utter failure to mount a testing and surveillance campaign. Nor is it within our grasp. So everything says to err on the side of caution and utilize EVERY social distancing tool at our disposal.
DESE has a call scheduled with Superintendents for tomorrow 8:30AM. I suspect we’ll know a lot more after that, and this could become a moot point depending on the outcome.
PS – @DW – what’s your Twitter?
FIRST has declared the 2020 FRC season over.
Organizations like k12.com have been offering online and computer supported K-12 education for a while now.
There are communities before us that already have done this, why not learn from them how they are addressing these issues? Why do we have to solve all these problems ourselves?
Let’s use someone else’s solution for now and we can take our time coming up with a better idea when people aren’t dying.
@Bryan – just followed you. @dannymoweg
Credible cohort sizes have been estimated using both flight and genomic data. They are credible meaning the estimates are not wildly all over the place. More likely they are not widely discussed because even with acceptable uncertainty, the numbers are large enough to cause real fear. Our numbers are bad until we know otherwise.
Extrapolating that math to school transmissions and older adult deaths is not in my wheelhouse. But I can’t think of a single reason for even 1 more day of school.
Fleischman cancelled starting tomorrow, all next week, and possibly further.
Robo call just now.
NNHS closed
Just got a recorded call from Superintendent Fleischmann. School’s Out!
This is the mail we just got..
Dear NPS Families,
For the past two weeks, we have been working closely with the Newton Department of Health and Human Services to reduce the community spread of COVID-19. We have received many emails from concerned families and understand that this is a stressful and unsettling time.
Given the rising number of COVID-19 cases in our region, coupled with new guidance from the Governor, the state, infectious disease experts, and our local health partners, we have made the difficult decision to close the Newton Public Schools beginning tomorrow, Friday, March 13. There will be no school tomorrow, next week and possibly for a longer period.
The decision to close schools is an attempt to slow the spread of the virus. It will only be effective if the community also takes steps to practice self-isolation, monitor for any symptoms, and avoid large gatherings. We need all community members to do their part or the school closure will not be successful in limiting the spread of the virus.
We know the cancellation of school, its associated activities, and events that use our school buildings is disappointing and extremely disruptive to our daily lives. However, we believe we must do so for the health and well-being of our community.
We expect to provide an update to you next week as we further assess the situation. We also know you will have questions regarding learning opportunities for your children while school is closed and we will have more information on this subject late next week.
This is a unique public health situation that is rapidly changing. Our hope is that if we all work together, we can reduce the spread of this virus, protect residents, especially those most vulnerable, and resume normal activities as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
David Fleishman
Superintendent of Schools
Now lets get a scalable testing location.