Westfield Mayor Shelley Brindle: “We are in full blown second wave.”

Covid-19 shuts down Westfield High School sports but club sports continue?

Above: Email to Westfield Board of Education and Superintendent Dr. Dolan regarding the cancellation of sports and extra-curricular activities at Westfield High School due to Covid-19 outbreak. 

Above: Response from Westfield BOE President Peggy Oster

Above: Local news coverage of Westfield Mayor Shelley Brindle’s comments regarding recent Covid-19 outbreak. 

Above: Local news coverage and statement by Westfield Mayor Shelley Brindle regarding recent Covid-19 outbreak.  

Above: Letter to Westfield Public Schools Community from BOE Superintendent Dr. Dolan


The following is a letter to all Westfield High School student-athletes from Westfield Superintendent Dr. Dolan

Dear Student-Athletes,

 

Normally, I try to respond individually to all emails, especially those I receive from students.  You can imagine what my inbox is like on any given day, much less following Sunday’s announcement, so I am copying all who reached out to me on this response.  If I have missed someone, I apologize.  First, thank you for your respectful, passionate, and articulate emails.  I know you are frustrated and heartbroken.  I am, too.  I know how hard all of our student-athletes have worked, especially during this stressful and confusing time of COVID.  I hope that you understand that I do not make decisions arbitrarily nor in a vacuum. I rely on the public health officials and work with Westfield Health Director Megan Avallone (these days, we are on the phone almost daily).  Ms. Avallone, in turn, consults with state health officials who confirm and support her recommendations, based on guidelines developed by the CDC and NJDOH.   As she said at last night’s town council meeting, it is her job to protect every citizen in Westfield, just as it is mine to safeguard all students and staff in Westfield Public Schools.  Our decision to keep WHS on all-remote instruction and to suspend athletics and extracurricular activities does not only affect athletes; it affects students who want desperately to attend school in person as well.  I stated in my email to WHS families on Monday that I cannot pick and choose certain activities to continue as the entire WHS student body remains all-remote.  It is not as simple as declaring that one group is COVID free, even as health officials continue contact tracing for a virus that has a 14-day incubation period. Until there is improvement in the number of COVID cases in our community, we will continue to make these tough, but necessary determinations as circumstances require.  And, if you have been reading the news in our state and others, the same thing is happening in schools at all levels.  As Mrs. Asfendis noted in an email to WHS families yesterday, we had six active COVID cases when we closed the school  two weeks ago; we have four times the number of cases as of this past weekend.

 

I mean this sincerely when I say that I applaud your leadership and appreciate your strength and resilience. 

 

Sincerely,

Dr. Dolan

 

Margaret Dolan, Ed.D.

Superintendent

Westfield Public Schools

     Westfield High School sports has a long history of championship success.  Last week, student athletes were told that their seasons were effectively over with the decision to return to remote learning. 

     Both boys and girls varsity soccer teams were to play in the Union County championship against state ranked # 9 Scotch Plains, a long time rival dating back decades.  

     The Westfield High School cross country teams, boys (#9 in NJ) and girls (#4 in NJ) had their seasons cut short just as they were entering the championship season with NJ sectional championships on the line Saturday, November 14th. 

     While Westfield High School has gone to remote learning and WHS athletics have been canceled for the remainder of the season, why are BOE facilities remaining open to private user groups?

     If it’s safe for private user groups to continue sports play, why have Westfield high school athletes been denied the remainder of their seasons?

     Club ice hockey, a recent contributor to an uptick in Westfield Covid-19 cases, occupies the Westfield Ice Rink with no closure in sight.  

     The Westfield Health Department must continue to make prudent decisions based on up to the minute information.  However, decisions to terminate sports and close down facilities must be done equally across the board regardless of revenue, parent pressure, and local politics.