BUFFALO, N.Y. — School districts across Western New York are making preparations as more information becomes available about coronavirus (COVID-19). 2 On Your Side reached out to multiple districts for information about what preparations were being made with regard to coronavirus concerns.
2 On Your Side got in contact with representatives from Buffalo Public Schools, the Kenmore-Town of Tonawanda School District, and City of Niagara Falls School District. Each district is receiving guidance from the New York State Education Department and making plans accordingly.
Amherst Central School District
2 On Your Side also received correspondence from the Amherst Central School District that was sent to parents. A letter that was sent to parents this afternoon said the district was canceling all public gatherings of 50 people or more. A portion of this letter can be found below.
"Examples of public gatherings of more than 50 people that will be suspended include, but are not limited to: concerts, public forums, spectators at sporting events, orientations, musicals/drama productions, pancake breakfasts, and the like."
Another letter that was sent to parents yesterday included plans for continuing education in the event the district had to close for an extended period of time. Elementary school students are being sent home with envelopes with assignments that parents should have students work on in case school is closed for an extended period of time.
Middle and high school students will use Google Chrome to facilitate online learning and teachers are receiving assistance so they can be prepared to post assignments daily if the school is closed for ay period of time.
More information can be found on the school's website.
Kenmore-Town of Tonawanda School District
A representative from the Kenmore-Town of Tonawanda School District told 2 On Your Side's Karys Belger that the district was also following the advice of the New York State Education Department.
The school district announced on their website it would be canceling all school-sponsored travel outside of Western New York and canceling all public gatherings of 50 people or more.
The district also listed a number of guidelines for families to follow in order to help prevent the potential spread of COVID-19. A statement on the district's website said the following.
"The Ken-Ton School District’s highest priority is the health and safety of our students and staff, and we will continue to monitor this rapidly developing situation and keep the community informed."
City of Niagara Falls School District
City of Niagara Falls Superintendent Mark Laurrie held a press conference Thursday afternoon to inform parents and the wider community what the district was doing to prepare.
Laurrie stressed that there were no confirmed cases of COVID-19 and gave an example of a hypothetical situation that would require action.
"If that were to occur, at 'school x' and only 'school x' we would shut it down for one day. We would do a high level of sanitizing and cleaning and then we would make an assessment if it were OK to open the school back up," Laurrie said.
Other districts also have parts of their websites dedicated to informing the public about steps being taken to prepare for any possible closures due to COVID-19.