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�1 ��G1 BREWSTER9MASSACHU8 MAIN SETTS 02631 - 1898 Health Department
Amy L . von Hone, R. S . , C .H. O .
Director
PHONE : 508 . 896 . 3701 EXT. 1120
Q 8j FAX: 508 . 896 .4538 Sherrie McCullough, R. S .
brhealth@brewster-ma. gov Assistant Director
WWW.BREWSTER-MA. GOV Tammi Mason
Senior Department Assistant
Board of Health Emergency Meeting 1 F
Tuesday January 26, 2021 at 4 : 30PM
Remote Participation Meeting
Board members on remotely: Carmen Scherzo, DVM , Chair; Penny Holeman, MPH , MA, MS, Vice Chair; Annette
Graczewski, MT (ASCP) and Jeannie Kampas
Others present remotely: Amy von Hone, R. S ., C . H . O ., Health Director
Dr. Scherzo stated that for anyone wanting to listen to the meeting can do so via the Town of Brewster Livestream at
http •//video brewster - ma . gov//cablecastPublicSite/? channel = 1 or on Channel 18 and anyone that has a question or
comment could email them to healthboardmeeting@brewster- ma. gov
1 . Call to order
Meeting was called to order at 4 :40PM
2 . Discussion/update on the Stony Brook Elementary School and Eddy Elementary School temporary
conversions to fully remote learning due to increased Covid cases and possible vote of support
Mrs . von Hone stated that over the last 3 weeks there has been an increase in cases, especially at the Stonybrook
Elementary School . There have been 20 - 25 new active cases per week and this past Saturday there were 44 new cases in
the general population . At the schools, if a single case shows up in a cohort, they all have to quarantine for 14 days .
She stated that she had a long discussion yesterday with the school nurses, principals and Tom Conrad, School
Superintendent . They talked at length about the increased cases in the general population and in the schools and they
felt it was concerning enough to close the schools down for 2 weeks to clean and let the case numbers come down . The
Superintendent and the School Committee made the decision to go fully remote for the next 31 /2 weeks and potentially
be back in person on February 22"d . A decision will be made during school vacation week as to whether or not to open
back up .
Mrs . von Hone stated that she fully supported the decision to close the schools .
She noted that she had also been in touch with the Laurel School and The Family School which are private schools and
they have made the decision to go fully remote also .
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Mrs . Graczewski wondered if something could be put on the Town ' s website about resources for parents while the schools
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are closed .
Mrs . Kampas is worried about the fact that the schools are closed so the kids can quarantine, but in fact they won 't be j
because parents have had so little time to get childcare and the kids may end up going to a neighbors or friends house
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BOH 1 /26/2021 Minutes Page 2
which could end up causing more exposures . She did commend the schools for all the hard work they have done to try
and keep the schools open .
Mrs , von Hone stated that she understood the concern and noted that the Superintendent and School Committee
definitely didn 't make this decision hastily.
The Board is in full support of the decision to close the schools and go full remote for the next 3 1/z weeks .
Meeting adjourned at 5 :OOPM