FREE webinar for parents hosted by @MHAacrossNYS. Understanding the stages of psychosocial development is helpful when providing support to a child. Register for Child Development 101, 9/30 at 11:30 am https://www.mentalhealthednys.org/family-education-webinar-series/
During the past week we learned a great deal about Covid-19 positive cases in school districts and the required response by the County Department of Health, including the contact tracing process. Working with our partners at Washington County we have identified and improved communication procedures and responses in the event a positive case is identified in the school setting.
If Washington County notifies the district of a confirmed positive COVID-19 diagnosis in the school setting, the district will apply an automatic pause of in person learning and begin a period of remote learning for the impacted educational environment. This remote period may be issued for a class, school building or the entire school district based on the case. We now know it takes New York Tracers a good deal of time to complete a thorough investigation of contacts. Therefore, the pause order will be for a minimum period of seventy-two hours (three days). During this period, the Department of Health will begin their initial investigation. The results of this investigation will then determine the extent of possible exposure and recommendations for further quarantine or reopening. All communication regarding quarantine periods will be issued by the Department of Health.
It is likely that the district will be able to anticipate the impact on the educational environment and will move to communicate with families while the contact tracing process is completed. This is the message you would receive from the Building Principal or Superintendent of schools:
In accordance with a public health COVID-19 investigation, your contact information has been provided by the Greenwich Central School District to the Washington County Department of Health.
In the near future you will hear from the New York State Contact Tracers regarding a COVID-19 positive exposure. If you do not hear from a tracer you should contact the Washington County Department of Health at 518-746-2400.
Students and staff with direct exposure to the positive individual will need to quarantine by the direction of the tracers. If the quarantined person does not present with any COVID-19 symptoms then all other household members may continue their normal activities, including siblings attending school.
If your child was in an impacted environment, they will have a remote learning experience during the time of the quarantine. Communication regarding this educational plan will come directly to your child via Google classroom. Please be on the lookout for this contact.
Upon receiving this notice parents should anticipate a potential quarantine period of up to fourteen days, however that order can only be issued by Washington County Public Health.
Additionally, at the September Greenwich Board of Education meeting a few questions were asked that needed research. We reached out to our partners at Washington County Public Health and received these responses:
Do the students and employees currently on mandatory quarantine require a negative test before returning? ”No, a negative test for return is not required. If they are isolated (due to a positive test or symptoms of COVID 19 without a test) or Quarantined due to the potential for exposure they would have to fulfill their isolation or quarantine period. They would receive a written release of quarantine after completing the appropriate period and with symptom resolution.” This release letter will be required as proof that the individual has been cleared for return to activities of daily life by Public Health.
The Greenwich reopening plan includes all NYSDOH specifications for PPE, social distancing, handwashing, and thorough cleaning. Why does an exposure to a positive case in the classroom come with a fourteen day quarantine period for all exposed individuals? “In conjunction with our state epidemiology liaison we received the following response: “All of the measures noted help reduce the risk but do not eliminate it. There are documented instances of COVID infection in spite of mask use. The virus is definitely capable of spreading to people more than 6 feet away. Cleaning is an important step, but most transmission is believed to occur via airborne particles, so cleaning surfaces can only help to a point. Also, the longer people occupy the same enclosed space, the higher the likelihood of transmission , so spending extended time with a positive case is an exposure risk.”
As always, please feel free to contact your primary care physician with questions regarding COVID-19 and quarantine orders. Thank you for your patience and support as we work through this new and challenging process.
Greenwich Central School District has a temporary opening for a part time cleaner daily (9:00 am – 1:00 pm). Interested candidates please contact Ron Nicholson at (518) 692-9542 ext. 6403
Greenwich Central Elementary School has a substitute School Lunch Monitor position available two hours per day. Contact the Greenwich Central School District Office for information or an application. (518) 692-9542 ext. 6800.
After thorough deliberation during a series of meetings between Wasaren League school superintendents, the League has decided to postpone all fall 2020 sports to the Fall II season in Spring 2021 with football, volleyball and competitive cheer. The Season II (fall sports) is tentatively scheduled from March 1 to May 8 per NYSPHSAA. Significant discussions took place considering the increased risk of exposure to COVID-19, contact tracing, transportation, scheduling, and the safe management of sporting events. The superintendents agreed that the focus in September and October should be on the safe and healthy reopening of schools. While the league has decided to postpone fall sports, the steps moving forward for each district will be made in consultation with their respective Boards of Education.
GREENWICH CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
GCS CAFETERIA
Ericka Sloan- Food Service Manager
518-692-9542 ext. 6900
FREE MEALS
September 14, 2020
Parents/Guardians:
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has extended the waiver allowing ALL GCS student’s to receive FREE meals through December 31, 2020, dependent on available funding.
If the USDA waiver expires or is cancelled you will be notified and the following will be put into effect:
Lunch k-6 $2.40 Lunch 7-12 $2.60
A la Carte
(Snacks, Drinks, Ice Cream, Second Entrée)
K-6th grade
We will not be selling ala carte items initially. Our main focus will be to make sure all students receive a healthy safe meal. Therefore, you will not need to send in money because meals are free at this time.
When we are able to reintroduce a la carte sales you will be notified. If you choose to allow your child(ren) to purchase these items you will need to send in money.
7-12 grade
Smart snacks(chips) and Drinks will be available; they must have money for items either by paying with Cash or money on their lunch account. You can send cash, check or go to myschoolbucks.com to add money to their account.
If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact me.
Ericka Sloan
Food Service Manager
Last week we were notified that we had two elementary students that tested positive for COVID-19. As of today, those two cases are the only ones the district is aware of. When notified, we immediately engaged with our partners at the Washington County Department of Health. They began their protocol for contact tracing which includes interviewing all of the contacts the positive individuals had inside and outside of school. As you can imagine, this process takes a great deal of time. To be clear, this communication is the responsibility of the county. The school district does not make the decision of who should be quarantined. All calls relating to a quarantine would come directly from the New York State Contract Tracers.
On Sunday morning, I talked with our County Health partners to get information on who had been directed to self quarantine. We learned that an entire second grade classroom had received that direction so the educational decision was made to have the quarantined teacher and her students learn remotely through September 24th, returning to in person learning on September 25th. When the teacher began her notification to students we learned some families had not been contacted by the department of health. This was unfortunate. I expressed my frustration with the county and we are working to expedite our communication process for the future.
As of right now, September 14th, the Department of Health is following state guidelines on quarantine orders. If it is determined that someone has had direct exposure to a COVID-19 positive individual that person will be issued a 14 day quarantine direction from the county. As long as that person does not develop symptoms they will be the only person in their household required to quarantine. Siblings, parents, and others with contact with the quarantined person may go about their normal activities.
Strictly following the NYSDOH guidelines, in the case of a classroom exposure, the entire class and teacher will receive a quarantine notice from the county. When the district is notified, we will plan for remote learning for the quarantined students.
As always, please feel free to contact your primary care physician with questions regarding COVID-19 and quarantine orders. Thank you for your patience and support as we work through this new and challenging process.
The Greenwich Central School District has received notification that a second student of the district, who has recently been in school, has tested positive for Coronavirus following visiting their physician – linked to the initial case reported earlier today. Our School District Administration continues our close work and partnership with Washington County Public Health to aid in conducting the Public Health investigation of the case.
Washington County Public Health is in the very early stages of their investigation (being notification was received this afternoon) and identifying contacts relative to the case, which will continue into the evening and weekend. Those involved are being notified and are either quarantined and/or isolated depending on the exposure in accordance with the CDC and New York State Department of Health guidance.
Help keep our community and schools safe and healthy!
– STAY HOME if you’re not feeling well
– WASH YOUR HANDS often
– SOCIAL DISTANCE (at least 6′ between you and others)
– MASK UP in public places and when you can’t social distance
The Greenwich CSD continues its strict adherence to our reentry plan and appreciate the support of our Washington county partners in this process. Additionally, the district is required to report daily to the NYSDOH all COVID positive tests cases for students and staff. This information will be available by district on the state’s webpage dashboard.
Please note, we are not able to individually identify people who test positive.
Thank you for your patience and support as we focus on reopening safely.
Mark Fish
Scholarship, Character, Community Cultivating the Future
Superintendent of Schools
Greenwich Central School District
Witches are Great!
(518) 692-9542
Twitter: @SOS_Fish
Here are some photos of this mornings arrival in Greenwich.
Employment Training for Adults– a division of WSWHE BOCES
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1k6Q4XqOIW1OIcvtyKLMtDMxAMRzft5nE/view?usp=sharing
expectations if sent home from school
On Monday, August 24th, the Greenwich CSD hosted three community forums focused on our reopening plans for 2020-2021 school year. Combined, 220 people participated in the hour long dialogues. Members of the administrative cabinet answered questions based on the best available information at that time. The forum video links are posted below.
The district utilized the feedback from the community and staff to tweak the district schedule to support families, improve bus runs, and to honor requests for an additional evening forum now set for Wednesday, August 26th at 7 PM. Current information on all facets of our reopening is available on the district’s reopening page http://wps.greenwichcsd.org/gcsd-reopening/. Information is updated daily so check back often.
Finally, the district has planned staff development to prepare for teaching in the COVID-19 in person, remote and hybrid learning models set for September 2nd, 3rd, 8th and 9th. The school year for students is set to kickoff on September 10th. Student schedules are expected to be released by the building principals starting Wednesday, August 26th.
Thank you for your patience and support as we reopen schools safely following the latest guidance from the NYSDOH. If you have any additional questions please contact your child’s building principal or the Superintendent of Schools.
Last evening, the Greenwich CSD revised the 2020-2021 school year calendar to provide professional staff with time for planning and professional development to teach in the COVID-19 in person, remote, and hybrid learning models.
Professional staff will report on September 2nd, 3rd, 8th and 9th for training. Students will report on September 10th according to their assigned schedule. Schedules will be available in the near future as we make some final adjustments based on feedback that we received during the community forums and staff meetings.
A staff development day was also added on September 24th.
We appreciate you patience and support as we prepare for the start of the new school year.
On Friday, August 7, 2020, Governor Cuomo directed that all schools must offer at least three public discussions with parents and teachers about reopening schools this fall. Greenwich CSD will conduct these meetings on August 17, 2020 at 9 AM, 2 PM and 5 PM utilizing Webex .
Please click the link below to join the desired meeting…
Agenda for the community meetings
