Fall River Diocese announces hybrid plan for Hyannis schools

Article originally published on CapeCodTimes.com

The Hyannis middle school and high school operated by the Catholic Diocese of Fall River will reopen this fall with a hybrid model that places most students in the regular classroom while a small number attend remotely from another part of the building.

“We have developed plans whereby all currently enrolled and accepted students can be accommodated on campus every day,” Christopher W. Keavy, head of St. Francis Xavier Preparatory School and St. John Paul II High School, wrote to students and families.

“This is possible because, while most students will be in their classrooms with their teachers, a smaller number will attend class remotely from another part of the building,” he said.

“Faculty members and administrators have developed a hybrid, synchronous in-person/remote model that will enable remote students to attend the same presentations as their in-class peers. Also, this model will enable students to remain home, if necessary, based on family request,” Keavy said.

The Catholic schools in Hyannis are scheduled to resume their school year Sept. 1, Keavy said.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health on Tuesday reported zero new cases of coronavirus and zero new coronavirus deaths in Barnstable County.

The number of deaths among people who have had the coronavirus on Cape Cod stands at 150, while the total number of cases on the Cape since pandemic reporting began this past winter is 1,561.

Statewide, 140 new coronavirus cases were confirmed Tuesday, including 61 cases considered probable due to positive antibody tests combined with exposure or symptoms.

The rest of the cases were confirmed by molecular tests for the live virus.

Statewide, the number of coronavirus cases since reporting began stands at 104,799, while the fatality count in Massachusetts is 7,998, with 15 new deaths reported Tuesday.

The average age of death in a COVID-19 patient is 82. The majority of people with the coronavirus who have died, nearly 65%, have been residents of long-term care centers.

State officials said 23,595 residents or employees of 369 long-term care centers have tested positive for the virus.

Coronavirus hospitalizations in Massachusetts are down to 621, including 104 patients who are in intensive-care units.

State officials said Cape Cod Hospital had three COVID-19 patients and Falmouth Hospital had six. Neither hospital had coronavirus patients in their ICUs.

State public health officials Tuesday said 7,282 new individuals have received the molecular test for coronavirus, for a total of 901,221 individuals and 1,144,367 tests.

They said 295 new individuals had been tested for antibodies, for a total of 76,090 individuals.