LAGRANGE – Less than 36 hours after a group of parents and students rallied in front of Arlington High School pleading for the schools to reopen on a normal basis, the district announced that an individual tested positive after being at Union Vale Middle School on Friday.
Members of “Open Up Dutchess School Districts” rallied on Sunday saying that schools need to reopen, claiming that children need socialization. A founding member of the group, Anne Keating-Burger, said, “Remote learning is causing emotional stress on children and they are disengaging from learning more ad more each day. Mental Health America sites state that playing with other children is as important to good mental health in children, yet children remain separated from one another in Arlington’s plan. The National Association for the Education of Young Children states social and emotional health affects children’s overall development and impacts their potential to lead a fulfilling life.”
On Monday afternoon, Arlington Interim Superintendent Dr. Lorenzo Licopoli sent an email to parents of middle school students saying in part, “I am writing to inform you that we were notified at 2:30 p.m. Monday afternoon that an individual at Union Vale Middle School has tested positive for COVID-19. This individual was last at the school on Friday, October 2. As part of our routine maintenance, the school was thoroughly cleaned over the weekend.”
Sixth-grade students at the middle school will not be physically attending school until November, after the date was pushed back, but were in the building on Monday for orientation. Licopoli advised the parents after the students were in the building that “The proper Department of Health and district protocols have been followed to isolate the individual diagnosed with COVID-19 and to identify close contacts. Anyone identified as a close contact will and/or has received personal notification from the DOH with further instructions.“
The district stressed that “Unless otherwise notified, you have NOT been identified as a close contact and do NOT need to quarantine or be tested at this time.”
