IN NATIONAL EMERGENCY,

OTSEGO, SCHOHARIE

COUNTY’S SCHOOLS

SHUT FOR 2 WEEKS

By LIBBY CUDMORE • Special for www.AllOTSEGO.com

ONEONTA – Citing an “abundance of caution,” over coronavirus, Oneonta Schools Superintendent Thomas Brindley announced moments ago that all schools in Otsego and Schoharie County will be closed for the next two weeks, starting Monday, March 16.

“As of our 2:30 call with the Department of Health, everything was business as usual,” said Brindley. “But two hours later, to receive the message we were closing was a bit of a shock.”

The call to close schools was a collaborative effort between the Otsego and Schoharie County Departments of Health.

Brindley said that the school is working on plans to provide “continuity of instruction” and also to continue offering meals to those using the free lunch and breakfast services, including designating pick-up points for homework and boxed meals.

“We will continue to use our website and use our notification system to update parents,” he said.

At Cooperstown, junior and senior high school students have already received two weeks worth of instructional materials, according to Superintendent Bill Crankshaw.  Elementary school students will get theirs on Monday.

“There’s more to do, more to think about,” he said. “Right now, it’s still developing.”