Bemus Point Superintendent Joe Reyda

BEMUS POINT — Bemus Point Elementary will be going virtual after two individuals — one in the Elementary School on Tuesday and another in the middle and high school on Monday — have tested positive for COVID-19.

In a letter to the Bemus Point school district community, Superintendent Joe Reyda announced the information via the school web site. “The local department of health has been notified and is taking further steps,” he wrote. “The affected individuals have been isolated and the local department of health has or will identify and contact those individuals identified as close contacts of the individuals in question. Close contact means being within 6 feet of someone for more than 10 minutes while they are infectious with COVID-19.”

On Sunday, the district announced staffing is the current issue in the shift to remote learning.

“Because of the nature of the elementary situation, we are unable to adequately staff the elementary school,” the superintendent wrote. “As a result, Bemus Point Elementary School will go to a virtual instruction model starting on Monday, October 26th, and lasting until Friday, November 6th. Please be aware that this is currently a staffing issue and not an outbreak. Maple Grove Middle/High school will continue its current hybrid model.

“There will be a parent community meeting for all elementary parents on Monday, October 26th, at 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM to discuss the next two weeks. https://zoom.us/j/8378399847 . Please join us at a time that works best for you.”

Reyda said some of the steps the district is implementing in cooperation with the local health department include:

• These individuals will not return to our program until they have completed quarantine/isolation procedures for COVID-19 as directed by the local department of health.

• The areas used by the individuals were thoroughly cleaned and sanitized on Monday and Tuesday.

Reyda offered additional updates in the future and asked parents to keep their children home if they have any symptoms or are sick.

We will provide further updates if additional steps need to be taken by our program. Please continue to monitor you children for symptoms and keep them home if they are sick.

“Finally, we ask that you please respect the privacy of any individual in our school community who has tested positive and continue to focus on the measures we are taking to protect the health and welfare of our community,” he said.