LYNN — Due to a rise of COVID-19 cases in three individual classrooms, two elementary schools decided to shut down those classes on Monday, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Patrick Tutwiler said.
Tutwiler said two classrooms at Shoemaker Elementary School and one classroom at Sewell-Anderson Elementary School were closed due to a spike in cases. He said the closings went through the proper procedure.
“Whenever there is a spike in positive COVID-19 cases in an individual classroom, our nursing team assesses the situation closely in partnership with the city’s health director and our liaison at the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education,” said Tutwiler. “This process has led us to close three classrooms today.”
Tutwiler said school classrooms had been closed last year due to individual outbreaks of COVID-19. As for students in the classrooms Monday, he said they will learn remotely until their classrooms reopen.
“Per Department of Elementary and Secondary Education guidance,” said Tutwiler, “if a student participates in that class for at least half of the day, he or she is marked present for that day.”
Tutwiler made clear the two schools will not close completely as of now.
“Neither an entire grade level nor an entire school is under discussion for closure at this time,” said Tutwiler.
Tiffany Magnolia, who sits on the Lynn School Committee, said the decision to close the three classrooms shows a proactive approach by the Lynn Public Schools to mitigate the effects of a possible outbreak.
“The position of the LPS is to monitor and to only take action only if there is a potential outbreak,” said Magnolia. “It does seem that LPS is being proactive.”
Magnolia said that the School Committee will discuss the classroom closures at its meeting on Thursday.
There were 30 confirmed cases of COVID-19 at Shoemaker Elementary and 26 cases at Sewell-Anderson Elementary from Dec. 29 to Jan. 5, according to the COVID-19 dashboard found on the Lynn Public Schools website. The dashboard reports the total number of weekly cases throughout the district for that time period was 811. Numbers are updated every Wednesday.
Despite the surge, Tutwiler said the district will continue to monitor cases and use any mitigation strategies available to them to keep students safe.
“We are employing every mitigation strategy available to us,” said Tutwiler. “Each is in keeping with best practice and state guidance. We will continue to partner with families to limit the spread.”
