First day of school for students is Wednesday, Sept. 8
On Thursday, Aug. 12, the district presented the current plan for opening in September, with a commitment to a full return to in-person instruction for all grades, every day. Students will also return to traditional schedules, with the elementary school starting at 8:35 a.m. and middle and high school starting at 7:35 a.m.
Superintendent Macri reminded residents that the information in the plan is subject to change, if and when additional clarification and guidance is communicated to districts.
As of August 13, the district is planning:
- To employ a layered/tiered mitigation approach, including components ranging from facing masking to facilities cleaning and hygiene; contact tracing and quarantining; HVAC (ventilation) and the provision of food services; and surveillance testing and vaccination access.
- A measured approach in making adjustments (nuanced) to mitigate efforts based on the transmission or rate of infections, ranging from Low Community Transmission >> Moderate Community Transmission >> Substantial Community Transmission >> High Community Transmission.
- To find and maintain a balance between prioritizing health and safety of students and staff, and supporting the social, emotional, mental health of students and staff using the tiered mitigation strategy. It will be fluid, and reviewed consistently to ensure the stated objectives are being met.
The district’s current plan can be viewed here.
Please note that this is a draft plan and it is current as of August 12. The district expects the plan to be updated in the weeks leading up to the first day of school. Please continue to check our website and/or your email for announcements of updates to the opening plan.
The current model is based on the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations and the CDC’s most recent recommendations and also provides accommodations for students who are immunocompromised or have direct family members with medical conditions that would prevent them from attending in person. The district is offering those students a fully-remote learning model via a regional virtual learning academy led by Capital Region BOCES.
“We’re committed to being responsible in terms of mitigating the spread of COVID-19, keeping health and safety at the forefront of our decision making process, while also offering a wide array of courses and activities for our school community,” said Superintendent Macri. “These are challenging times and we’re all similarly focused on the best interests of our children.”
Families with questions about the plan can be directed to your child’s building principal.
Elementary – Jeffrey Vivenzio (jvivenzio@voorheesville.org) Middle School – Jennifer Drautz (jdrautz@voorheesville.org) and High School – Richard Shea (rshea@voorheesville.org).
A recording of the August 12 community forum can be found here.