District plans to provide state-mandated Covid-19 testing of teachers and staff at Bellerose Avenue Elementary School
Bellerose Avenue Elementary School may become a Covid-19 testing site for teachers and staff, in accordance with a state mandate that requires weekly testing of unvaccinated district employees.
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Rumors about using the previously shuttered Bellerose Avenue Elementary School as a site for Covid-19 testing are true – at least for now – according to school district officials.
Last month, New York State Governor Kathy Hochul announced that educators unable to provide proof of vaccination would have to undergo weekly Covid testing. As a result of this mandate, the New York State Department of Health approved emergency regulations allowing Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker to put the testing requirement in place until it’s “no longer necessary,” according to the department.
The state-wide mandate calls for each district to “have capacity and offer screening testing for any teachers and staff at least once a week,” according to the NYS website. Under the mandate, schools must also have the capacity to provide diagnostic testing to teachers or staff members that present Covid-19 symptoms or come into contact with an infected person. Northport-East Northport school district officials confirmed with the Journal that the designated site here will be Bellerose Avenue Elementary.
Bellerose was one of two elementary schools voted by the board of education to close, effective August 31, 2021, due to declining enrollment across the district and decreased tax revenue from the LIPA settlement. Before Bellerose can be used for any other purpose, there must be a vote by the board of education trustees as to how it will operate.
In a statement provided to the Journal, district officials gave the following information regarding the use of Bellerose for required testing: “Currently, the district is planning to provide testing at Bellerose Avenue School once per week for teachers and staff, however this is currently subject to Board approval of the district’s recommended testing facilitator and contract. This testing would take place once per week until the governor’s mandate is lifted and requires that staff enter the building for the test… Bellerose Avenue was selected as it has adequate parking and building access to run the operation smoothly with very minimal cost.”
An update on facilities usage, including that at Bellerose Elementary, will be provided during the board of education meeting currently scheduled for Thursday, October 7.
