Editor’s note: This update was provided by the Pelham (Union Free) School Board.

We continue to communicate with other districts in Westchester and are certainly aware of the decision of several to close for varying periods of time in response to the virus. Just this evening, we received new guidance from New York State specifically for school districts, which has been posted to our COVID-19 website. Of note, this guidance says that schools should immediately close for at least 24 hours if a staff member or student “attended school prior to being confirmed as a COVID-19” case. During the initial 24 hour period, districts must work with the Department Health to assess the situation and determine next steps. At this time, we still have no confirmed cases and are not aware of any other instances of the New York State Health Department asking residents to self quarantine. As such, the Pelham Public Schools remain open.

As the situation continues to evolve, some additional internal steps that we are taking over the next few weeks include:

• Cancelling planned out-of-state trips that include air travel
• Reviewing and postponing other school trips and large group activities as necessary
• Restricting hours of building use to enable more time for deep cleaning as follows:
  • Beginning Tuesday, March 10, the middle school/high school (secondary) campus will be closed at 6pm on Tuesdays and Thursday, and Saturdays beginning at 1pm
  • Elementary schools will be closed at 6pm on Mondays and Wednesdays and all day on Saturdays.
  • Outdoor athletics practices will continue on a normal schedule and will continue to have access to the Glover Field House, which is being cleaned and sanitized during regular school hours
  • We will evaluate this approach on a week-by-week basis and do our best to accommodate the needs of our students and community. Please contact the business office if you have any questions about facilities use.

We continue to monitor and await further guidance from the Governor and other state agencies and will adapt as necessary to this ever-changing situation.

Thank you for your continued support and please continue to visit our COVID-19 webpage for additional resources and information.