BY JIMMY LAWTON
North Country This Week

St. Lawrence County teachers and school staff will continue to be paid despite school closures, according to St. Lawrence-Lewis County BOCES Communications Director Rebekah Mott.

Some media outlets have reported layoffs in the wake of the announcement that all St. Lawrence County Schools would close until April 20, but she says that is not the case.

"The finer details are being rapidly worked out over the next two days but we want to reassure all staff that they will be paid. This is not a lay-off," she said.

"These are unprecedented events and plans are developing at the speed of light, but districts and BOCES have been humbled and encouraged by the North Country community’s willingness to step up and help out. School staff will receive more detailed information when they return on Thursday. For now, we encourage everyone to remain calm."

Mott said details on the districts' plans for providing food and services to students are still being hashed out but an update is expected later today.

"In the end, we won’t know if we overacted, but it will be abundantly clear if we under-reacted or did too little too late," she said.