More Hudson Valley Students Won’t Return to Classrooms In January

Due to an uptick in COVID-19 cases, another Hudson Valley school district is adjusting its schedule and keeping kids out of the classroom.

Recently the City of Poughkeepsie announced that they were postponing their transition to in-class learning until the middle of January. Other school districts, including Webutuck, Saugerties and Arlington have paused in-person instruction until after the holidays.

On Tuesday, Kingston City School District announced that they will not be welcoming students back into the classroom after the holiday break. On January 4, students will begin at-home learning. During this time, faculty and staff are still required to report to school but will be teaching students remotely. A message from the school district explained that the extended closure is "the best option to ensure the health of our entire community after the holidays."

With COVID-19 cases on the rise throughout the region, it's unclear what this will mean for other school districts as they return after the holidays. Instead of closing, some schools are actually planning on increasing the hours children are in school. The Wappingers Central School District still has a plan to launch their new schedule with extended school days on January 11. Parents are left wondering if this will still happen after the expected post-Christmas surge in COVID-19 cases.

Although the vaccine has arrived in the Hudson Valley, it's unlikely that enough people will receive it before the end of the school year to bring the number of cases down. Expect to see more schools adjust their schedules as everyone continues to deal with the current health crisis.