Dear BKW school community,
The purpose of this message is to affirm that our schools will reopen for in-person learning tomorrow, January, 4, 2021.
Unless staffing shortages require all-remote learning or there is evidence of broader virus transmission in schools, our schools will remain open for in-person learning. We will continue to work with our public health partners to monitor all available information, including how the increased infection rates relate to schools. In addition, remote learning options continue to be available to all families
We know that each school district is different from any others and each must make informed reopening decisions based on their own district level data. We recognize that the COVID-19 infection rate has continued to increase in our area in recent days. Data also indicates that the rate of virus transmission in schools is low. Governor Andrew Cuomo has said that the precautions schools have taken have been effective.
All of our reopening COVID protocols remain in place:
- The health attestation is critically important each day. Honest responses are necessary for success. Please do NOT come to school/work if you are symptomatic
- Masking, distancing, and hand hygiene are effective in preventing the spread of the virus
- Cleaning and disinfecting continues to be an ongoing process
- Limiting outside of school social gatherings will limit the spread of the virus
- The District monitors for positive cases and works with DOH to trace each case
- Remote learning is an option a parent may choose for their child at any time
The superintendents of the Capital Region BOCES area met over the weekend and are united in our belief that schools are the best place for children to be during the day. Last spring we saw the effects of closing schools for all in-person learning. So far this year, we have seen that schools can open safely amid this pandemic.
I am asking for your help to promote mask wearing and social distancing outside of school, to stay home from school/work if you are sick, to practice COVID safeguards during school, to consent to COVID testing so once we start to do so we will have a large and varied pool, and to push getting the vaccine to front line essential employees…anyone who works in a school system.
Thank you for your ongoing support and trust. We will get through this together.
Sincerely,
Dr. Timothy Mundell
Superintendent of Schools