Author Archive: Wynantskill

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

Positive COVID-19 Cases in Wynantskill UFSD

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April 15, 2021

Dear Families,

The Wynantskill UFSD received confirmation today that a middle school student and an elementary student have tested positive for COVID-19. The students have not been physically present in the building since April 1.

No contact tracing is required, per Rensselaer County Department of Health, due to the extended absence.

The county has advised the district to continue with its regular cleaning protocols. The building will be open as normal.

Due to privacy laws, we cannot divulge any further information about the positive individuals, and we ask that our families respect the positive individuals’ privacy.

We ask that all families continue to follow all safety guidelines outside of school hours including proper use of face coverings, social distancing, proper hand hygiene and avoiding large gatherings. We also remind you to please complete the daily health screening form for your child prior to sending them to school.

Please monitor your child(ren) for any symptoms of COVID-19 and report any absences and positive COVID-19 test results to your child’s school.

Thank you all for your continued support and ongoing efforts to keep Wynantskill UFSD safe and healthy. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me directly with any questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Dr. Mary Yodis

Wynantskill UFSD Superintendent

 

Social Distancing Guidance Update

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The State Department of Health recently issued new guidance permitting as little as a three-foot distance between students with certain exceptions.

The district would like its families to be aware that Gardner-Dickinson will not be making the change to a three-foot distance between students. 

Gardner-Dickinson is fortunate to have ample space and resources for all students to be in the building six feet apart. The six-foot distance we have maintained all year long has proved efficient, and we believe remaining at six feet is the best option for protecting our students’ and staff’s health. 

An updated plan is forthcoming and will be available in the coming weeks. We thank you for your continued support and understanding.

G-D Alumna Creates Wynantskill Community SEPTA COVID-19 Sensory Bags

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Gardner-Dickinson alumna Brigid Mack is currently working on her Girl Scout Gold Award for the Wynantskill Community Special Education Parent-Teacher Association (SEPTA). 

The Gold Award, the highest achievement within the Girl Scouts, can be earned by Senior and Ambassador Girl Scouts. Those who earn the Gold Award take on matters that are close to the heart and drive lasting change in their communities.

For Mack’s Gold Award, she has implemented “COVID Sense.” The project focuses on helping special needs children with COVID-19 regulations. Mack created sensory bags that include social stories/visual aids about mask wearing and hand hygiene and sensory toys for calming when frustrated or upset. 

“Keeping a mask on in public and always staying six feet away from others can be difficult for anyone to always remember, and it’s even harder for children with disabilities who are used to a normal routine,” said Mack. “With the use of social stories, kids can be reminded of the rules they need to follow in a fun and useful way. If they are in a stressful situation, they have sensory toys they can rely on to cope with their surroundings.”

Mack noted the importance for children with anxiety or sensory needs to have their own set of sensory toys since toys cannot be shared in schools at this time due to the ongoing pandemic. 

For the project’s launch, Mack held a bag distribution event at a community playground, which she says was her favorite part of the project. She believes the bags brightened kids’ spirits.

“It was a way for me to connect with (the kids), and I think I was able to reach them through kindness and concern for their wellbeing during this pandemic,” said Mack. “I think it was also inspiring to SEPTA because they now have a mission to continue this project after my part is done. They now see that the sensory bags are making children in the community happy, and hopefully more efforts like this will be made as people are being vaccinated and society may return to a degree of normalcy.”

If you or someone you know is interested in receiving a COVID Sense sensory bag, please email Brigid Mack. For more information on the Wynantskill Community SEPTA, please email Darcy Mack. 

More information on COVID Sense sensory bags.

 

Wynantskill UFSD

WPTA Nominations

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On Tuesday May 4, 2021 the Wynantskill PTA will be holding a Zoom meeting at which time they will be electing new
officers to serve on the PTA Executive Board for the 2021-2023 school years. A nominating committee has been
formed and the WPTA would like your input on recommending PTA officers to fill these positions. Officers will serve
a term of two years, and no more than one two-year term in the same office.

Please review the PTA’s nomination letter here for more information and to access the nomination form.

Pre-K and Kindergarten Registration, Orientation

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The time is now to register your child for pre-k or kindergarten. Deadlines are quickly approaching.

Pre-K Registration

Kindergarten Registration

Pre-K and Kindergarten Orientations

Please join us for pre-k and kindergarten virtual orientations for families that have registered a student for either grade level and prospective families.

During orientation, families will be able to meet the teachers and the principal, view an informative presentation and participate in a Q&A session.

Pre-K Orientation will be held Tuesday, April 13 at 7 p.m.

Kindergarten will have two orientation sessions: Wednesday, April 14 at 10 a.m. and Thursday, April 15 at 7 p.m.

Families interested in attending a virtual orientation session should contact Main Office Secretary Kathy Fazioli via phone at 518-283-4600 ext. 10 or via email at kfazioli@wynantskillufsd.org indicating interest. Ms. Fazioli will then share meeting links with interested families.

Mr. Flannery Named WNYT Top Teacher

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Mr. Flannery was named a WNYT Top Teacher! We are so lucky to him here at Gardner-Dickinson, and we are incredibly proud.

Don’t miss the segment! View the story below:

Updated Travel Guidance

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Gov. Andrew Cuomo recently announced domestic travelers will no longer be required to quarantine after entering New York from another U.S. state or U.S. territory beginning April 1.

Today, the district received confirmation from the Rensselaer County Department of Health that the Department will adopt this new travel guidance. Beginning tomorrow, April 1, there will be no restrictions on domestic travel. Here is what this means for families: 

  • Effective April 1, there will be no need to quarantine when returning to New York from any other state in the country. 
  • It does not matter whether or not you have received the vaccine; you may travel without restrictions upon your return. 
  • International travel still has restrictions, and those returning from another country must follow quarantine protocols. 
  • If you travel, you must still complete the traveler health form, which can be found here. 
  • Travelers do not have to be tested upon return to New York unless they are symptomatic. If you or anyone in your household is experiencing symptoms, do not send your child to school. 
  • Continue to complete the daily health screening form each morning and monitor for COVID-19 symptoms. 
  • Please understand that in the event positive cases spike again, travel restrictions may return, and you may need to quarantine if they are implemented while you are out of state. 

We ask that our families continue to be safe during spring break, no matter what your plans are. While we are encouraged by the fact vaccines are becoming available to more of our community members, only a fraction of the population has received both doses at this time. We must continue to be vigilant and follow all health and safety protocols so our region does not experience another spike of COVID-19 positives. Please continue to wear face coverings while in the presence of those you do not live with, practice social distancing and proper hand hygiene. 

We hope our school community enjoys spring break to the fullest extent possible while staying safe. We look forward to seeing everyone again after break.