MARION — As school reopenings approach, the Board of Health discussed school reopening plans at Tabor Academy and Old Rochester Regional School District at an Aug. 18 meeting. 

Health Nurse Kathy Downey said she has been “working consistently with both schools to get things right.” 

Most immediate is reopening at Tabor Academy, as students will start coming back on Aug. 22, and the two rounds of testing will create a “huge influx” of 600 to 700 tests, Downey said. 

Board members asked if the tests would show up on Marion’s record, or if they would be sent to the student’s home city. 

Downey responded that if a student provided two locations, notice of the positive test will be sent to both locations. 

Board member Edward Hoffer said that with the campus boundaries extended to Kate’s Simple Eats and Cumberland Farms, “what happens on campus is not going to stay on campus,” adding that “if something goes haywire at Tabor it will impact the whole community.” 

Downey said the response to that scenario would depend on working closely with Tabor Academy. 

She said both parties “appreciate how quickly things change and appreciate how close we need to stay with them.” 

Health Agent David Flaherty had the chance to walk through Tabor’s new health center and said it looks good. 

On the Old Rochester Regional side, the Board of Health approved the school’s reopening plan. 

Downey was scheduled to retire in the last week of August, and the board confirmed that its first choice candidate Lori Desmarais accepted the position. Desmarais has a previously-scheduled vacation at the end of August, so Downey will extend her stay by two weeks to cover as Tabor Academy reopens and be able to work with Desmarais for a week when the new nurse returns.