Snow Day Called In Chatham For Weather, Staff COVID Cases On Friday

CHATHAM, NJ — As the snow was on its way Thursday night, School District of the Chathams’ Superintendent Dr. Michael LaSusa made the decision to keep schools closed Friday because of the weather, staff COVID-positive absences another factor.

Normal protocol would have been to delay on Thursday and then wait until Friday morning to make the final decision to close, LaSusa wrote in a letter ahead of the storm to parents and staff.

“However, we have had additional staff test positive in the past couple of days, including members of our custodial and maintenance crews, who are the ones that need to be on the road and in by 4 or 5 a.m. in order to have the snow cleared and walkways salted by about 8:30 a.m. if we are delayed,” LaSusa added. “Given the timing of the storm and our current staffing constraints, I think it is better to make the decision tonight.”

A full breakdown of recent COVID positive case counts and in-person attendance rates are below and LaSusa said that the in-person attendance rate has “gradually ticked up over the course of the week.” Click here for the district’s COVID dashboard, with a breakdown by school of COVID cases reported among students and staff.

Though school was closed Friday, Chatham High School after-school activities would still be happening, LaSusa said.

The district was still finalizing its decision if COVID testing, normally offered on Fridays at the Middle School at 3 p.m., would be available because of the weather.

A districtwide “test-to-stay” model is in the process of being finalized, LaSusa wrote, “to reduce the number of quarantine and isolation days for students,” with testing at the Middle School being offered on Wednesdays and Fridays beginning the week of Jan. 10, with two-day advance pre-registration required.

Into the week of Jan. 10, LaSusa said that lunch pickup will still be an option for parents, as well as live-streaming for students who are more comfortable staying at home because of the recent COVID surge.

Starting Jan. 18, the lunch pickup option will be discontinued and the district plans to “begin to count absences from school against the thresholds in our policies.”

For LaSusa’s full letter, click here.

Questions or comments about this story? Have a news tip? Contact me at: jennifer.miller@patch.com.