Tuesday, Oct. 20 at 1:16 p.m.

Hills to resume in-person instruction and activities, Gundersen says

Superintendent Erik Gundersen announced that in-person instruction and activities at Pascack Hills would resume tomorrow, Oct. 21, based on the recommendation of health officials.

Gundersen added that as a result of school policy to quarantine all individuals who share classroom space with a positive Covid case, some students and staff will be quarantining.

“Please note that the individual who tested positive, and all who were in close contact with this individual, will not be in the building until their respective quarantine periods are over,” he explained. “These dates were established for each individual by local health officials based on the timing of their exposure.”

He added, “Each case is unique, and each investigation yields results unique to that case. While we understand this may not seem fair that one school opens while another [Pascack Valley] remains closed, investigation results drive the recommendations on how to proceed with school operations in a safe manner.”

Valley has been closed for in-person instruction and activities since Oct. 15 after two students there tested positive on Oct. 14 and Oct. 16. That school will remain all-remote through Oct. 28.

Monday, Oct. 19 at 3:57 p.m.

Hills to operate remotely on Oct. 20, Gundersen says

In a second email sent to the district, Superintendent Erik Gundersen announced that instruction at Hills would continue all-remote for a second day after an individual tested positive for Covid-19 this morning. Gundersen added that the case “does not appear related to the cases at Pascack Valley High School; however, contact tracing is still on-going.”

The closure of school for in-person instruction will allow contact tracing efforts to continue, Gundersen explained. The school will follow an A1 schedule on Oct. 20, and all in-person extracurricular activities are canceled.

Gundersen cited the general increase in Covid-19 cases statewide and encouraged the community to answer the daily screening form, stay home if unwell, “immediately inform the school nurse if you have tested positive for [Covid-19],” and continue to wear masks and social distance “as appropriate.”

He praised Hills parents, students, and staff for the response to the initial announcement, which occurred just 20 minutes before classes were to begin this morning and set off some confusion after students were turned away from the school building upon arrival.

Many teachers remained in the school building to instruct through at least the rest of the morning, being as many were already a distance from home and set up for class when Principal Tim Wieland shared the news with them over the loudspeaker.

Monday, Oct. 19 at 8:02 a.m.

Hills reports Covid-19 case, closes for in-person instruction Monday

An individual at Hills reported a positive Covid-19 test this morning, Superintendent Erik Gundersen announced in a district-wide email. The announcement comes days after two individuals at Valley tested positive, leading to over 70 students and 10 staff being quarantined and the school going remote until Oct. 28.

Due to the positive case and ongoing contact-tracing efforts, Hills will be fully remote today, Oct. 19, and follow a B5 schedule. All extracurricular activities scheduled in-person today are also canceled.

“Just a few moments ago, we were informed that an individual at Pascack Hills High School has tested positive for COVID-19,” read Gundersen’s email. “In response and following the recommendation of local health officials, Pascack Hills will be fully remote today (Monday, October 19).  This measure is being taken so that contact tracing can begin, allowing for proper identification and notification of those who may have been exposed.”

It is not clear if the case is connected to those at Valley or where they might have been exposed. The district was notified of the case at 7:40 a.m., less than an hour before classes were to begin. Students in Cohort B reported being turned away from school upon arrival this morning before the positive case was formally announced via email.

“My dad drove me to school to be dropped off, and I noticed everyone was standing outside,” senior Stephen Schmidt said of his arrival to school this morning. “Then [a] security guard came to our car and told us the school is shut down.”

Gundersen acknowledged that “the timing of this complicates commuting and schedules for families and staff; however, the health and safety of our community is the most important goal for our district, leading us to this decision.”

He said the district would provide an update later today with more information “regarding the investigation as well as further guidance from local health officials.”

Many teachers were also arriving to school in the hour the case was reported.

“I got out of my car and spilled my coffee down my face. Ms. Elkin was walking in at the same time as me and said, ‘Oh well. It’s just going to be one of those days.’ Understatement of the year,” said Alexandra Pfleging, an English teacher and cheerleading coach.

The state of New Jersey has reported an increase in cases over the past several weeks, which Governor Murphy has attributed to an outbreak in Lakewood from Jewish holiday gatherings as well as an increase in testing of asymptomatic residents. 

In Montvale, Mayor Mike Ghassali said there had been nine new positive Covid cases in the period from Sept. 30 to Oct. 12, totaling 105 since the pandemic began. There have been 214 positive tests in Woodcliff Lake, according to Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco.

Hills and Valley opened under a hybrid instructional plan on Wednesday, Sept. 2, and had not reported any cases until now. Around 10% of district students had opted for all-virtual instruction, though it is unclear if that percentage has increased or decreased in recent weeks. 

“I think we need to be the motivating and resilient force for the students right now,” Pfleging said of teacher’s responsibilities during a time of uncertainty. “We went through virtual learning before, and we can do it again so long as we continue to support each other. We are all living and breathing, and should feel lucky for that.”