COVID-19 Guidance for Schools in 2022-2023
In late August 2022, the New York State Department of Health and Education Department released a joint statement regarding COVID-19 guidance for the upcoming 2022-23 School Year.
Here is a link to a frequently asked questions document regarding the guidance.
Highlights include:
- Masking is not required at this time. Local health departments have the authority to implement masking requirements.
- Students and staff exposed to COVID will not have to quarantine. People who were exposed to COVID-19 should follow the CDC’s recommendation to wear a well-fitting mask for 10 days after the exposure and get tested.
- Students and staff who test positive for COVID-19 should isolate at home for 5 days. Those with symptoms may resume attending school after 5 days if they are fever-free (without using medication) for 24 hours and their symptoms are improving and they wear a mask through day 10.
- Schools will no longer be required to conduct contact tracing.
- Schools are not required to report daily test results to DOH.
District Provided COVID Tests
Schodack Central School District will have New York State-provided at-home COVID-19 test kits available upon request for school families. If you would like to request at-home COVID-19 tests this year, please contact Amanda Fish (afish@schodack.k12.ny.us) and please let her know how many tests you will need and for which students.
As extended school breaks approach this year (Thanksgiving Recess, etc), the district plans to send students home with COVID-19 test kits for them to use before they return to school. Families will not be required to test their students before they return from breaks but we will plan to send students home with test kits unless families opt out. Prior to each extended break this year we will send all families a virtual opt-out form to submit if they do not wish to receive a test kit for that break period.
