Superintendent’s Community Update, March 26, 2021
Dear Hastings Families, Faculty and Staff,
Spring break has finally arrived. While you enjoy your time with family and friends, please continue to reinforce mask-wearing, six feet of physical distance, frequent hand washing, and the use of hand sanitizer when necessary. COVID-19 is still a contagious and dangerous virus. Adherence to these safety practices will allow us to return safely to our schools on April 6th.
Below are a few important reminders.
New York State Travel Advisory and Quarantine Requirements
There is some confusion about the New York State Travel Advisory and the Governor’s travel update which goes into effect on April 1st. The New York State Department of Health travel advisory is still in effect. In addition, the New York State Department of Health established quarantine requirements for fully vaccinated persons exposed to COVID-19, which are here. I encourage everyone to please follow these provisions so that our schools can safely reopen on April 6th and thereafter.
COVID-19 Surveillance Testing Program
The use of the BinaxNow rapid test will begin on April 19th. Parents will need to consent to have their children participate in this voluntary surveillance testing program, which will help us to identify children who have the virus, limit its spread, and reduce the need for school closures due to quarantines. Each week, we will only test 5% of the student body in each school who volunteers to participate. The test consent form is here. Please return the form to your child’s School Health (Nurse) Office. More information will be available after spring break.
Preparation for April 12th All In-Person Learning
Yesterday, the school administrators released their school reopening presentation, the updated school reopening plan, and an FAQ document. This information was posted in yesterday’s Hastings Daily and is here. The administrators reviewed feedback from their school reopening committee weighing recommendations, concerns, and solutions from faculty, staff, families, and students who participated. I want to thank everyone for their time and contributions to this important milestone.
The Daily COVID Health Questionnaire
It is important for families to continue to complete the daily COVID health questionnaire. This is step one in detecting COVID symptoms in your child and keeping them home. If your child is awaiting the results of a COVID test, please keep them home. If a family member develops COVID symptoms, please keep your child at home. Sending them to school will surely lead to further transmission and the need to quarantine administrators, faculty, staff, or children who had contact with an infected child. Quarantines may result in our schools having to shift to remote instruction.
Thank you for everything you are doing to keep everyone safe. While it certainly has not been easy, if everyone continues to do their part, we will be able to safely conduct in-person learning as well as other important activities students enjoy and look forward to doing.
I hope you have a safe and enjoyable spring break.
Sincerely,
Valerie Henning-Piedmonte, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
