Champ reiterates Pelham schools monitoring all guidance on COVID-19; schools directed to follow normal flu protocols

February 27, 2020

Pelham+Memorial+High+School

Pelham Memorial High School

Editor’s note: This press release was provided by the Pelham (Union Free) School District.

As a follow-up to the communication sent Monday and updates provided at Wednesday evening’s Board meeting, I want to reiterate that the District is monitoring all relevant guidance regarding Novel Coronavirus, including from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), the Westchester County Department of Health and the District Physician. As of now, no additional health protocols specific to Novel Coronavirus have been issued by health or government agencies. As such schools have been directed to continue to follow normal flu protocols.

To be clear, there have been no confirmed cases in New York State, according to the NYSDOH. That said, our District is proactively working on measures to control the spread of viral diseases and preparing plans for if and when cases arrive in our state and region. These measures include:

  • Increased disinfection of surfaces, including bathrooms, classrooms, cafeterias, door handles, desks, railings, our nurse’s offices, locker rooms and gym equipment
  • Educating students and staff on proper handwashing and common sense ways to reduce transmission of viruses
  • Monitoring illness-related absences and working with parents to ensure children are healthy before returning to school
  • Developing plans for continuation of learning opportunities in case of emergency temporary school closures
  • Reviewing appropriate guidance from and coordinating with local, state and federal health agencies.

We also encourage you to continue to visit the following websites for up to date information:

I can assure you that our District will do everything that it can to ensure that our students are healthy and prepared to learn each day. Doing so also requires the help of our parent community. If your child is sick and has a fever of over 100.0 degrees F, they should remain home until they are fever-free for at least 24 hours. We also encourage parents to consult a physician if you are concerned about your child’s symptoms. As I stated Monday, our teachers will always work with families to ensure absences related to illness do not hinder academic progress.

Once again, our students’ health is our number one priority as a District and I am confident that our administration and staff are taking the appropriate steps to protect our schools and community as best as we can.