Emilia Teasdale is reporting for The Columbia Paper Ichabod Crane school officials October 5, emailed parents and guardians notifying them a middle school student had tested positive for COVID-19. The message indicated the student had not physically been present in school since September 15. The communication to parents read: Because the student has not been in a school building since that date, we have been advised by the Columbia County Department of Health that there is no need to change our operations. This means school buildings will continue operating on their normal schedule and there is no district impact at this time.” In a timing-couldn't-be-better moment, a public hearing was held the following night on the Districtwide Safety Plan. The plan includes provisions designed to prevent or minimize the effects of serious incidents, including pandemic. The public offered no comment on the plan. Also at that meeting, the board approved a new school calendar. Asked about snow days, Superintendent Suzanne Guntlow said the district would still close school if weather is bad and not continue remote learning on those days. Guntlow also reported that the district’s capital improvement project is on schedule — the high school guidance wing is expected to be completed by November and the art rooms in December, as well some classrooms in the middle school. Read the full story in The Columbia Paper.