Category Archives: District

Preventing Tick Bites on People

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Tick exposure can occur year-round, but ticks are most active during warmer months (April-September).

Before You Go Outdoors

  • Know where to expect ticks. Ticks live in grassy, brushy, or wooded areas, or even on animals. Spending time outside walking your dog, camping, gardening, or hunting could bring you in close contact with ticks. Many people get ticks in their own yard or neighborhood.
  • Treat clothing and gear with products containing 0.5% permethrin. Permethrin can be used to treat boots, clothing and camping gear and remain protective through several washings. Alternatively, you can buy permethrin-treated clothing and gear.
  • Use Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellents containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus (OLE), para-menthane-diol (PMD), or 2-undecanone. EPA’s helpful search tool
  • Avoid Contact with Ticks
    • Avoid wooded and brushy areas with high grass and leaf litter.
    • Walk in the center of trails.

After You Come Indoors

Check your clothing for ticks. Ticks may be carried into the house on clothing. Any ticks that are found should be removed. Tumble dry clothes in a dryer on high heat for 10 minutes to kill ticks on dry clothing after you come indoors. If the clothes are damp, additional time may be needed. If the clothes require washing first, hot water is recommended. Cold and medium temperature water will not kill ticks.

Examine gear and pets. Ticks can ride into the home on clothing and pets, then attach to a person later, so carefully examine pets, coats, and daypacks.

Shower soon after being outdoors. Showering within two hours of coming indoors has been shown to reduce your risk of getting Lyme disease and may be effective in reducing the risk of other tick borne diseases. Showering may help wash off unattached ticks and it is a good opportunity to do a tick check.

Check your body for ticks after being outdoors. Conduct a full body check upon return from potentially tick-infested areas, including your own backyard. Use a hand-held or full-length mirror to view all parts of your body. Check these parts of your body and your child’s body for ticks:

  • Under the arms
  • In and around the ears
  • Inside belly button
  • Back of the knees
  • In and around the hair
  • Between the legs
  • Around the waist

Thank You, WPTA!

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The G-D staff would like to extend its warmest appreciation for the Wynantskill PTA. The WPTA sponsored a teacher appreciation taco luncheon. Staff members loved the food, decorations, appreciation signs and had an amazing time together filled with laughter. We thank you!

 

Baseball and Softball Information, QR Code

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Baseball and softball season is here!

Spectators will be limited to two per player for both home and away games. Please scan the QR code below and fill out the attestation form before entering the contest. Keep your phone out to show the people/person checking you in.

All spectators must abide by NYS social distancing guidelines and remain six feet apart from those you do not live with. Masks must be worn at all times. Bleachers will be used for student athletes. Please use the grass area and your own chairs.

 

Wynantskill UFSD is Hiring

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Are you or someone you know looking for substitute, temporary or part-time work opportunities? Join the Gardner-Dickinson team!

We are hiring for the following:

  • Bus Driver
  • Substitutes
  • Cleaner/Maintenance

Bus drivers work approximately 4 hours per day, Monday through Friday. The position’s part-time hours have the option of full-time benefits.

Substitutes work a per diem schedule.

The cleaner/maintenance position has a flexible schedule. Interested candidates can expect to work 4-8 hours per shift and work days and/or nights.

For more information or to apply for a position, please contact Superintendent Secretary Heidi Hallock.

P-TECH/Early College High School Opportunities

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At this point in the year, your child has already selected their high school of choice. However, Questar III has recently developed brand new, innovative STEM high school programs located on the Hudson Valley Community College campus called P-TECH and Early College High School. Should your child be interested in attending this high school program, please contact Amy Murphy as soon as possible to discuss this high school opportunity. 

The P-TECH and Early College High School programs are offered to help to grow your student’s interests and make them successful by motivating them to explore new and exciting ways to learn in a non-traditional classroom setting and offer the opportunity to learn and enjoy the rapidly growing fields of web development, engineering, environmental, or health sciences in a highly collaborative environment. Ultimately, this program will excite the students who want a different high school experience!

In the P-TECH and Early College High School programs, students can earn up to 63 college credits at no cost. Students will engage in workplace learning that includes mentoring, worksite visits, speakers and internships. Students in the P-TECH program have the opportunity to earn an Associate of Applied Science degree.

Questar III will hold a virtual open house tomorrow, April 21 at 6 p.m. and an information night/virtual open house on April 27 at 6 p.m. Meeting links and more information about the P-TECH and Early College High School programs are available at www.questar.org/ptech-echs. You may also watch these events live on www.facebook.com/questariii. View Questar III’s informational flyer.

Snow Give-Back Days – District Closed

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The district has two unused snow days for the 2020-21 academic year. We will now have two additional days off this spring for snow give-back days. The district will be closed Friday, May 28 and Tuesday, June 1. 

We hope our families will enjoy the extended Memorial Day weekend!

ELA NYS Assessments

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Gardner-Dickinson Families,

In March, we shared that the New York State Education Department submitted a waiver to the United States Department of Education that would not require New York districts to administer state assessments due to circumstances surrounding the ongoing pandemic. That waiver has not been granted, so Gardner-Dickinson must move forward with its scheduled dates to administer state assessments.

This Wednesday, April 21, in-person students in grades 3-8 will be taking ELA assessments. Testing will begin at 9 a.m., and students have as much time as they need to complete the assessment. As a reminder, only the first session of the assessment will be administered this school year.

Tips for testing:

  • Get a full night’s rest before testing
  • Eat a healthy breakfast the morning of
  • Have a relaxing night before testing

If you have any questions regarding state assessments, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

Suzann Cornell
Gardner-Dickinson Principal
scornell@wynantskillufsd.org
518-283-4600