BURLINGTON UNION
Superintendent opts for full-remote learning week after holiday
Melissa Russell
Wicked Local
Burlington's new COVID-19 cases continue to rise, and schools went fully remote the week after Thanksgiving, in anticipation of a rise in cases due to holiday travel.
In a phone message to the school community on Nov. 23, Superintendent Eric Conti said after considering all factors and opinions, students would access school remotely from Monday, Nov. 30 through Friday, Dec. 4. In-person learning will resume on Monday, Dec. 7.
Conti said the primary reasons to make the decision "are the risk factors that come with the growing number of positive [COVID-19] cases in the state and our community."
"We believe that a limited and scheduled closure of five days will help us to avoid a large number of random 14-day classroom closures and possible building closures similar to those that have occurred in neighboring communities," he said.
Before the Thanksgiving break, the district reported new cases of COVID-19 at the Fox Hill after-school program, Burlington High School, Fox Hill Elementary School and Marshall Simonds Middle School. Once a confirmed case of the virus is reported, it is the policy to move the classroom to remote learning for two weeks "out of an abundance of caution." The Burlington Board of Health investigates to determine close contacts of the person infected, and those people are contacted and required to quarantine. Testing is recommended for all close contacts.
Conti said, as most people who develop COVID symptoms do so within 11.5 days of infection, the remote break would allow the administration to know the impact of the Thanksgiving holiday without it impacting the classrooms.
"We understand that this decision is not ideal nor certain and that we are asking a great deal of our teachers," he said. "We are trying to be as proactive as possible so that our buildings can remain open as COVID cases continue to rise. We want students and teachers in school."
Burlington by the numbers for Nov. 27
Since the beginning of the year, the town has seen 493 cases, according to numbers posted by the Mass DPH on Friday, Nov. 27.
The town reported a rate of 80 new cases per 100,000 residents over the past two weeks, and a positivity rate for new tests over the past two weeks of 3.73%, up from 3.56% on Nov. 19.
The town remains in the "yellow" zone, indicating more than 10 cases per 100,000 over the previous two weeks or a 5% positivity rate for new tests during that same time frame.
Total count: 493
Case count over last 14 days: 80
Average daily incidence rate per 100,000 over the last 14 days: 20.5
Relative change in case counts: Higher
Total tests: 19,430
Total tests last 14 days: 2,628
Total positive tests last 14 days: 98
Percent positivity last 14 days: 3.73%
Change in percent positivity: Higher
More:Burlington COVID-19 numbers for Nov. 19
Flu vaccine requirement
In a video message to the school community, Assistant Superintendent Patrick Larkin reminded parents the state requires influenza vaccines for all students by Dec. 30. In order to allow the district enough time to process all vaccines, the district requests compliance by Dec. 15.
"If evidence is not in your nurses' office by Dec. 16, we are not able to guarantee your child will be able to attend school on Jan. 4," he said. "We thank you for your understanding on this matter as we do our best to remain compliant with the state's ever-changing health regulations."