Greenport School District to close building Tuesday after positive COVID-19 case reported for high school student

A Greenport High School student tested positive for COVID-19, according to Superintendent Marlon Small.

Mr. Small, in a letter to Greenport families that was posted on the district website, said that the positive case was reported to the Suffolk County Department of Health. Further guidance from the DOH is expected Tuesday, he said.

“The Suffolk County Department of Health will notify those who are identified as being in close contact and issue quarantine orders if applicable,” he wrote.

Greenport schools will be closed Tuesday for both elementary and secondary students and it will be a remote learning day, he said. The closure is out of “an abundance of caution,” he said.

“We will update the community as we receive additional information,” Mr. Small wrote.

The student who tested positive will be required to quarantine as per DOH guidelines and will not be permitted to return to the building until clearance is granted by the DOH, Mr. Small said.

The positive COVID-19 case is the first among students at North Fork school districts. The Southold School District delayed the start to in-person learning after two staff members had tested positive in early September.

Schools must report data on COVID-19 to the state, which is compiled on a dashboard and routinely updated. As of Monday afternoon, the website listed the most recent data as of Oct. 16.

Greenport has been operating under a hybrid model for secondary students in grades 7-12. Elementary students have been attending in person each day.

The county health department on Monday reported 51 new COVID-19 cases for the prior 24 hours. The positive rate for Suffolk County over the same time was 0.9%. There have been 435 positive cases in Southold Town, according to the most recent data available.

“The health, safety and well-being of our school community continue to be our paramount concern,” Mr. Small wrote. “We thank you for your continued support and understanding during these difficult times.”

The district also announced that the Board of Education meeting Tuesday night will be closed to the public. The 7 p.m. meeting will be live streamed. Information will be posted on the district website prior to the meeting.