Newfield school district tackles omicron variant

In the face of rising COVID-19 cases in Tompkins County and personnel shortages, Newfield Central School District intends to do what it can to ensure that in-person classes continue for as long as possible.

Superintendent Eric Hartz said the district went remote for just over a week prior to the holiday break as the number of COVID-19 cases skyrocketed in Tompkins County, largely because the district did not have enough staff. He said many of the staff absences were due to the staff members in question having symptoms, not necessarily having COVID-19.

“I think we’re handling it really well; I really do,” Hartz said. “We’re just trying to be really efficient with masks and social distancing and still washing hands. Our nurses are doing an incredible job of checking the New York state data and working with the Health Department and making sure we take kids out that have been close contacts and notifying parents. We’re doing it all the time.”

According to Hartz, the rapid tests that Newfield received from the state of New York and distributed to students and their families are proving helpful in combating the spread of COVID-19, as well as families using the tests and observing Health Department guidelines.

“If you can detect it at home quickly and you don’t send your child in for five days, then I think what happens is you’re helping to stop that spread,” Hartz said.

If students test positive for COVID-19, they must quarantine for five days. They can be allowed back in school on the sixth day after their symptoms were first observed if they have not had a fever for 24 hours and are either asymptomatic or have greatly decreased symptoms, but they must be fully masked the next five days. Hartz said he was in favor of this shorter quarantine since it can help get students back in the classroom.

“The more in-person learning we can do for kids, the better we’re going to be,” Hartz said.

The district has not made the mask rule stricter to require N95 or KN95 masks. It distributes disposable surgical masks to children and adults who need them. Hartz said he is unaware of any school districts that have implemented more stringent mask rules.

Newfield Central School District follows state mandates that require faculty and staff, but not students, to either provide proof that they are fully vaccinated or get tested once a week.

Newfield is currently the only school in our area not allowing spectators at its indoor athletic events. Hartz said he hopes to start allowing spectators in soon and floated the possibility of allowing two guests per player at the district’s Board of Education meeting last Thursday. Hartz also expressed the hope that the district will allow people to watch the spring musical live in the auditorium when it is held on March 25 and 26.

“I’m hoping that we can actually not be seeing more problems — we can see less and get to do more things for kids,” Hartz said. “That’s what I’m hoping.”

Hartz said the district suffers from a shortage of substitute teachers, and he believes that the problem is related to the pandemic.

“I just think people are choosing not to substitute teach because of COVID, coming into school and being around kids for seven and a half, eight hours a day,” Hartz said.

The substitute shortage not only applies to teachers but also essential school staff such as cleaners and bus drivers. This shortage was why Newfield Central School District had to go remote before the holidays.

“If we’re down and out in one particular area, that can also cause us to shut down because there’s nobody to pick up the slack or pick up where we have gaps,” Hartz said.

Despite this, Hartz said he is determined to stay open because Newfield students have fallen behind as a result of remote classes. He said he is looking into providing a summer school option for elementary schoolers, which is new for Newfield, and possibly extending that option to middle schoolers since the option is already available for high schoolers.

Pat Mahunik, middle school principal, gave a report on the status of the middle and high school at last Thursday’s Board meeting. In his report, he said students were a year and a half behind and he would prefer not to remove students from school for disciplinary reasons unless as a last resort for offenses such as harassment, discrimination or vaping.

“As I tell everybody, our sixth-graders are like fourth-and-a-half-graders; our eighth-graders are really like sixth-and-a-half-graders,” Mahunik said. “And we have to support them and make sure that we’re keeping them in school.”

Hartz said that the administration is determined to provide adequate coverage for transportation, cleaning and food services so school can remain in session.

“We’re all chipping in to make sure we stay in school, so we’re pretty much doing whatever we have to,” Hartz said.

Mahunik praised the teachers and substitutes for doing their part to keep the school open, as well as Hartz and the administrators for pitching in with cleaning and other tasks for which the district is shorthanded.

“It’s not every day you go into the middle school and you see the superintendent walking around with a broom,” Mahunik said.

Hartz told the Board that although the district has had to make difficult decisions over the course of the pandemic, he remains hopeful.

“We’re going to get through this year,” Hartz said. “And I’m hoping, fingers crossed, we won’t have to be as stringent on people who come in in a year or so. We’ll see how that goes.”

Newfield Notes appear every week in Tompkins Weekly. Send story ideas to editorial@vizellamedia.com.

In brief:

Newfield Public Library hosts cookbook talk

The Newfield Public Library will host a cookbook talk at the library from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Jan. 27.

Participants can read, try recipes, share their thoughts and sample.

Attendance is limited to 10 participants. For more information, visit newfieldpubliclibrary.org/events/cookbook-talk-healthy-options-630/.

Newfield Public Library hosts movie night

The Newfield Public Library will host a movie night at 7 p.m. Feb. 18. The movie is to be determined. For more information, visit newfieldpubliclibrary.org/events/movie-night-700/.

Newfield Board of Education to meet

The Newfield Central School District Board of Education’s next meeting will be held virtually at 6 p.m. Feb. 10 and will be the only school board meeting that month. For more information, including the agenda and the link to the meeting, visit the district website at newfieldschools.org.

Newfield Town Board to meet

The Newfield Town Board will hold its next regular meeting from 7 to 9 p.m. Feb. 10. For more information, including the agenda and the Zoom link for the meeting, visit the district website at newfieldny.org.