Sent via SchoolMessenger on December 1, 2020
Dear South Orangetown Families and Staff,
I hope that you all had a restful Thanksgiving weekend. At this time, all South Orangetown schools are scheduled to resume in-person hybrid instruction tomorrow, December 2.
Keeping our school community safe remains our top priority and we are working hard to sustain in-person learning despite the pandemic surge. We are grateful for your continued support.
To protect these efforts and each other, it is critically important that families and staff follow return-to-school guidelines. Please review the requirements below carefully and take all necessary steps to help us ensure a safe return to in-person hybrid instruction.
Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, the impact of the pandemic may require that some or all of our schools transition to fully-remote learning in the weeks ahead. Parents and staff are strongly encouraged to have alternate child care plans in place.
Sincerely,
Robert R. Pritchard, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
Daily COVID-19 Questionnaire
As a reminder, students and staff are required to complete the Daily COVID-19 Questionnaire.
Travel-Related Requirements
Students and staff members who traveled outside of New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont are required to provide documentation of two negative tests before returning to school/work:
- COVID-19 test taken within three (3) days of departure from out-of-state destination, prior to arrival in New York; and
- COVID-19 test taken four (4) days after arrival in New York.
Student documentation should be submitted to their school nurse:
WOS: Riva Fisher, RN (rfisher@socsd.org)
CLE: Karen Fitzgibbons, RN (kfitzgibbons@socsd.org)
SOMS: Margaret Keane, RN (mkeane2@socsd.org)
TZHS: Patricia Shalvey, RN (pshalvey@socsd.org)
Staff documentation should be submitted to Director of Staff Relations Joseph Lloyd, Ph.D., at jlloyd@socsd.org.
Other Exposure-Related Requirements
Those who have been directed to quarantine by their healthcare provider or the Department of Health and/or who have been notified that they have had contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, must remain at home for the duration of the quarantine period.
Parents are required to email to Executive Director of Pupil Personnel Services Karen Tesik, Ed.D. (covidreporting@socsd.org) and their child’s school nurse immediately:
WOS: Riva Fisher, RN (rfisher@socsd.org)
CLE: Karen Fitzgibbons, RN (kfitzgibbons@socsd.org)
SOMS: Margaret Keane, RN (mkeane2@socsd.org)
TZHS: Patricia Shalvey, RN (pshalvey@socsd.org)
Staff must email Dr. Lloyd at jlloyd@socsd.org.
Requirements for those Experiencing Symptoms
Students and staff who are experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms, including fever of 100 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, cough, congestion or runny nose, sore throat, fatigue, muscle and body aches, loss of taste or smell, nausea or vomiting and/or diarrhea, should remain at home. Families should notify their child’s school nurse and staff should notify Dr. Lloyd.