Twelve Shelter Island School students and three staffers test COVID positve

COVID-19 hasn’t spared Shelter Island School, which opened its doors for in-person learning on Monday after the holiday break.

School Superintendent Brian Doelger, Ed.D. reported that twelve students and three members of the school’s staff have tested positive for the virus between Dec. 27 and yesterday, Jan. 3.

The Suffolk County Department of Health Services has investigated each case and determined there had been no in-school contact.

Mr. Doelger said Tuesday that all those infected were self-reported to School Nurse Mary Kanarvogel as a result of the at-home tests distributed Sunday, and “almost all” were asymptomatic.

“We are greatly relieved that we were able to provide the tests to the school community, especially before they entered the school building, keeping our school as safe as possible,” Mr. Doelger said.

There were 140 test kits distributed at the school on Sunday.

The families who didn’t get the kits were surveyed about picking them up after school Monday, with most responding they intended to do so, according to Mr. Doelger.