POLAND — The preschool / after-school program at a Poland elementary has been suspended due to the pandemic.

Board members of the Poland Local School District decided Tuesday to push back the programs.

“Part of this is so much uncertainty with our school and our coming back, but we also have been in the process of gathering information regarding the return via surveys,” Superintendent David Janofa said.

Through surveys sent to parents, Janofa said there seems to be “some interest” in the preschool program and “very little interest” in the after-school program.

School is scheduled to begin Sept. 8, which may not be enough time to properly staff the programs.

On Monday, all school activities were suspended in the school district after two student athletes possibly were exposed to COVID-19. Janofa said the district has been working with the Mahoning County Public Health Department to conduct contact tracing.

“We believe we’ve got everything taken care of in regard to who the individuals are that may have been exposed,” Janofa said.

As information regarding the possible exposure is discovered through contact tracing, Janofa said students from the football team, volleyball team and girls soccer team will quarantine for 14 days as of Wednesday.

During a public question portion of the meeting, one parent asked if North Elementary and Dobbins Elementary could be opened. Janofa reported about 270 students have expressed they would prefer to do online classes.

“Some of the things we have to understand” include transportation and how many more staff members would be needed to ensure social distancing, Janofa said.

“It’s just not a space to open if there aren’t enough kids,” he said, but the topic is “on the table.”

afox@tribtoday.com