BARDONIA – Albertus Magnus High School yanked plans to start the school year with a hybrid learning plan after two members of the school community tested positive for COVID-19. The Catholic high school started its first full school day Thursday fully remote, instead of having half its students come to campus.
Hybrid classes are expected to start Monday, Sept. 14, according to Head of School Joseph Tweed.
“In an abundance of caution and following consultation with the Department of Health, Albertus Magnus shifted to all virtual instruction for Thursday and Friday so that the building could go through an additional deep cleaning and sanitization,” Tweed said in a statement issued Thursday afternoon.
Both people were asymptomatic, Tweed said, and started a 10-day quarantine, as recommended by health officials.
Tweed did not provide details about when the COVID-19 tests were administered, nor when results were reported. He said he could not provide details on whether the two were students or staff, due to confidentiality.
Students had attended an in-person orientation this week, with grades 9 and 11 at the school, located on the corner of Route 304 and Germonds Road, on Sept. 8; with in-person orientation to take place for grades 10 and 12 on Sept. 9.
For the school’s hybrid learning plan, which was to start Thursday, students were split into two cohorts: Team Albertus and Team Magnus. The cohorts would then switch off in-person days, with each cohort having students from each grade. Each cohort would have students from every grade level in the 9-12 campus.
Rockland County spokesman John Lyon explained the health department’s role in general on Thursday, but did not immediately provide details about the Albertus Magnus cases.
“As with any positive test result, the Rockland County Department of Health will work through our contact tracing program to confirm each new case, notify their close contacts so they can take protective action such as quarantine or isolation and break the chain of transmission,” Lyon said.
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Albertus rolled out its plans with a series of webinars for families throughout the summer.
The school’s safety plan includes taking temperatures of all students and staff each morning, and weekly health surveys filled out by all.
While the two cohorts — Team Albertus and Team Magnus — alternate in-person learning, the remote cohort would participate at the same time, in a “synchronous learning” plan. Much of the day would be spent with remote learners participating in synchronous learning with the students who are attending that day in person.
Tweed took the Rockland County Catholic high school’s top position in July.
A post on the school’s Facebook page Thursday morning reads:
Dear A.M. Family,
While we cannot be together physically, we can join together spiritually. Please joins us in prayer tonight and each Thursday that follows at 8 P.M. from wherever you may be in saying a Hail Mary for all effected by this pandemic and the current issue affecting our nation.
Let us ask our Blessed Mother Mary, Patroness of our country, to watch over all who are working so hard to protect, heal and serve us. May God bless you and keep you all from harm.
Sr. Nancy # AMhsFalconStrong #fAMily #ipray #BuiltonFaith
Tuition for 2019-2020 term at the Bardonia school ranged from $13,175 to $13,375. The grades co-educational school for grades 9-12 has an enrollment of 484 students and a faculty of 40, according to its website.
Staff writer Robert Brum contributed to this report.
Coronavirus test result stops Albertus Magnus school in-person opening – The Journal News
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