Please see the following message from Superintendent Chevrier which clarifies what the NYSDOH Guidance for Classroom Instruction In P-12 Schools and the NYSDOH Commissioner’s Determination on COVID-19 Testing mean for Schodack. Both these NYSDOH documents were provided to school districts on the afternoon of September 2, 2021. Additionally, there is information about the acceptable types of face masks for all individuals in Schodack schools this year.

 
All 2021-2022 school reopening news and COVID-19 updates can be found on the district’s 2021-2022 Reopening Updates page here.

Dear Schodack Community

Yesterday afternoon, the New York State Department of Health finally issued a complete interim guidance document for PK-12 classroom instruction for this school year and a Commissioner’s Determination here on COVID-19 testing in schools.

The 12-page guidance document addresses the minimum expectations for instruction and operations. As mentioned in my message yesterday, many of our protocols will remain the same as last year and the new DOH regulations are consistent with the most recent CDC guidance. In fact, the guidance document recommended that schools review their prior plans, eliminate any outdated measures and adopt the current CDC recommendations which we had already incorporated into the 21-22 reopening plan. 

Regarding masks, this week we have received some questions about what will qualify as acceptable face masks for students and staff this year. We will be following the CDC’s Your Guide to Masks, so please take a moment to visit that page and familiarize yourself with the acceptable types of face masks for all individuals in our school buildings.      

At this time, we are working together with other local school districts and the Rensselaer County Department of Health to coordinate the COVID-19 testing requirements mentioned in the Commissioner’s Determination. At this time, state funding has not been released to allow school districts to implement this new requirement as laid out in that Determination. Other than our student-athletes who have already consented to COVID testing, we will not be testing any other students or staff until we have the means to do so. We will update you once a final testing plan is developed in collaboration with Questar III BOCES and the Rensselaer County Department of Health.  

Districts have received a flurry of new information and updates during these last couple of weeks before the start of the school year. I appreciate your patience and flexibility as we have carefully sorted through those updates to clearly communicate them to you. 

I look forward to seeing all of our students back in school on September 8 and wish you all a very happy Labor Day Weekend. 

Jason M. Chevrier
Superintendent
Schodack Central School District