Cautious planning in Region One as cases rise

FALLS VILLAGE — Region One School District Interim Superintendent Lisa Carter said in a phone interview Thursday, Nov. 19, that keeping up with reported COVID-19 cases is an “hour by hour, day by day” process.

Positive COVID-19 test results are self-reported. When a report comes in, the process of contact tracing begins, with the school principals taking the lead, along with the Torrington Area Health District, the Sharon health department (Sharon does not take part in the Torrington Area Health District) and the Region One office, Carter said.

As of Nov. 19 the reported cases have been relatively simple to isolate and contain, she continued.

Housatonic Valley Regional High School is using a hyrbid model for instruction — a mix of in-person and online learning. The six pre K-8 schools are using in-person learning. Those schools are in Falls Village, Cornwall, Kent, North Canaan, Salisbury and Sharon.

Some modifications have been made to school schedules — keeping students from one particular cohort group home temporarily, for instance, or closing the entire building for a day to facilitate “deep cleaning.”

Carter emphasized that actions taken are out of an “abundance of caution.”

Asked if there is a benchmark for positive cases, which would trigger a shift to all-distance learning, Carter said no.

She added that the Litchfield County Superintendent’s Association has been asking the state health authorities for additional guidance and working on their own process for determining risks and responses.

Asked about in-school testing, Carter said there is a test available that gives an immediate result. The catch is the test is only reliable for individuals displaying COVID-19 symptoms. The test is not reliable for asymptomatic cases.

Carter said that she was heartened by the cooperation and hard work from teachers and students.

“The teachers have been great, they’re doing the lion’s share of the work,” she said. “And the students have been wearing their masks and doing everything we ask.”

 

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