All nine districts in the Franklin-Essex-Hamilton BOCES District and all 16 in the Champlain Valley Educational Services BOCES District agreed Sunday to shut down immediately until at least April 19-20.

The FEH-BOCES district includes the Saranac Lake, Tupper Lake, Lake Placid and Long Lake schools, plus all the rest in Franklin County. The CVES-BOCES District includes the AuSable Valley and Keene districts, plus all those in Clinton County and many in Essex County.

The school districts’ decisions came after Franklin County declared a state of emergency Saturday, March 14. Essex County had declared a state of emergency on Tuesday, March 10.

The five-week closure duration includes regularly scheduled spring breaks, which range from a week to two weeks, depending on the district.

Schools in Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties — as well as the town of Webb Union Free School District and the Adirondack Central School District — will also close until at least April 20, according to the Watertown Daily Times.

Schools in Saratoga, Warren, Washington and southern Hamilton and Essex counties will also be closed through April 19, according to the Glens Falls Post-Star.

Cuomo on Friday, March 13 issued an executive order that eliminates the aid penalty for school districts that don’t meet the 180-school day operational requirements.

School districts that won’t be penalized if they can’t make up the required school days include those directed to close by state or local officials, or those that close under a state or local emergency, according to the governor’s office.

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Lake Placid

In a post on the Lake Placid Central School District’s Facebook page, elementary school Principal Sonja Franklin said the school would be open Monday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. for parents and students who need to come pick up supplies.

“As has been explained to your child, education is expected to continue through creative means,” she said. “Please support your child’s education by providing them a quiet, structured space to work through the material provided by their teacher. Teachers will continue to be available to answer questions, offer guidance and provide feedback on all work completed. Their individual contact information is provided with the materials they have prepared.”

Faculty and staff reported to school on Monday to organize at-home instruction, according to the district’s website.

The district had already been preparing to transition to distance learning if needed.

Superintendent Roger Catania said March 13 at a meeting on coronavirus at the Lake Placid Conference Center that he and other LPCSD administrators were paying close attention to directives from the state Department of Health, county Department of Health and state Education Department, and were “getting ready for what might change in an hour or a day.”

“We’ve done surveys of families who might need access to (electronic) devices; we’re trying to figure that out,” he said. “We’re planning to prepare and distribute lunches as we can. We’re trying to figure out those pieces as best we can.”

Catania said Lake Placid was also working with other school districts around the region.

“We know when we disrupt school, we disrupt lives,” he said. “We know families will have to adjust.”

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AuSable Valley

In a letter to parents, the AuSable Valley Central School District confirmed its closure and said the decision was recommended by both the Essex and Clinton County health departments. The AVCSD straddles the Clinton-Essex County line.

“These are uncertain times, and the challenges which we collectively face are new and ever-changing,” the letter reads. “This action has not been taken lightly. It is fully understood that this closure will create hardships for families, and each district will continue to support our community as best as possible throughout this situation.”

The district said Superintendent Paul Savage will reach out to parents and students to share the schools’ plans for distance learning.

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Keene

Keene Central School District administrators were working to finalize a plan for continuing instruction for students, Superintendent Dan Mayberry said in an email.

“Depending on grade level and course — students will be working through some provided material and online programming specific to their course,” he said.

The district sent out a survey last week to ask families for feedback on students’ need for computer access, internet access and need for school-provided breakfasts and lunches.

“We believe we have addressed the computer issue by sending students home with their chromebooks on Friday,” Mayberry said. “In the coming days we will verify access to the internet as reported by families and make alternative plans to address any lack of access.

“Last week we had already begun planning to provide meals to students (receiving) free and reduced breakfast/lunch and will be finalizing the implementation details tomorrow (Monday).”

Mayberry said he understands local school districts’ decisions to close has a “tremendous impact” on the schools’ communities.

“We strive to do all we can to move our students forward academically and address their needs,” he said. “We thank everyone for their patience and understanding as we move forward in the coming days and weeks.”