Eleven Bemus Point Elementary School teachers have been placed in precautionary isolation by the Chautauqua County Health Department due to possible exposure to COVID-19, forcing the school to hold remote instruction for the next two weeks.

District Superintendent Joe Reyda explained during a Zoom call with the school community Monday afternoon that the district chose to make the decision due to the amount of teachers out and the lack of available substitute teachers.

“This is not something we chose to do very lightly,” he said on the call. “This is something that we felt we needed to do for the safety of all of our students in the elementary school. We want all of our kids back in person and as soon as we can do that, we will.”

The district announced on Saturday that two students — one at the elementary school and another at Maple Grove Junior-Senior High School — had tested positive for the novel coronavirus. On Sunday, they announced that beginning today, Oct. 26, that all elementary instruction through Nov. 6 would take place virtually. Students are expected to return on Monday, Nov. 9.

Reyda said that the teachers span across grade levels at the elementary school.

“What really was a big factor was the fact that we had so many teachers out from so many different grade levels,” he said. “If we get a situation where it affects one grade level as opposed to the entire school, that’s something we would take a look at.”