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Jan. 10, 2021

Dear Families,

Wynantskill UFSD learned today that a staff member has tested positive for COVID-19. The staff member has not been physically present in the building since Jan. 4, 2021.

We have been in close communication with the Rensselaer County Department of Health to determine any necessary follow-up, and the Rensselaer County Department of Health has determined no contact tracing is required due to the timeframe of the positive. No action is necessary by any students or staff. Gardner-Dickinson will remain open as normal tomorrow, Jan. 11.

Due to privacy laws, we cannot divulge any further information about the positive individual, and we ask that our families respect the positive individual’s 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 gatherings and travel to states with high positivity rates. 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 the district.

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

Jan. 9, 2021

Dear Families,

The Wynantskill UFSD has learned today that an elementary student has tested positive for COVID-19.

We have been in close communication with the Rensselaer County Department of Health (RCDOH) to determine any necessary follow-up. The district is assisting the RCDOH with contact tracing efforts using attendance records. RCDOH is continuing to investigate at this time.

The county has advised the district to continue with its regular cleaning protocols. The district will perform an additional deep clean of the school as a precaution. The building will be open as normal on Monday, January 11.

We encourage you to offer your full cooperation if you are contacted by a representative of the RCDOH or the district. If you are not contacted by a representative of the RCDOH or the district, there is no further action needed on your part and you may continue your usual schedule. If at any point you or someone in your family is directed to quarantine, please respect what you are being asked to do in the interest of public health. People in quarantine need to stay home, separate themselves from others in the home, monitor their health and follow directions from the local health department.

Due to privacy laws, we cannot divulge any further information about the positive individual, and we ask that our families respect the positive individual’s 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 gatherings and travel to states with high positivity rates. 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

Dear Families,

New York State officially announced the state’s revised quarantine protocol timetable for close contacts of individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19, which align with the guidance put forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

While a 14-day quarantine is still considered the “gold standard” by the CDC, the organization has adjusted its recommendations, allowing a 10-day quarantine period for those identified as a close contact of a positive individual if no symptoms are shown throughout the first 10 days. Please note that these guidelines do, however, include daily monitoring for symptoms through the traditional 14 days. 

COVID-19 symptoms include fever, cough, fatigue, headache, body ache, shortness of breath, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, runny or stuffy nose, chills, sore throat and new loss of taste and/or smell.

If you or your child experience any of these symptoms, please inform the district and contact the Rensselaer County Department of Health or your primary healthcare provider to determine whether a COVID-19 test is required.

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

Sincerely,

Dr. Mary Yodis
Wynantskill UFSD Superintendent

Jan. 6, 2021

Dear Families,

Wynantskill UFSD was informed today that a staff member has tested positive for COVID-19. The staff member has not been physically present in the building since Dec. 23, 2020.

As a result of the staff member’s extended absence, the Rensselaer County Department of Health has determined no contact tracing is required. No action is necessary by any students or staff, and you may resume your usual schedules. Gardner-Dickinson will remain open as normal tomorrow, Jan. 7.

Due to privacy laws, we cannot divulge any further information about the positive individual, and we ask that our families respect the positive individual’s 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 gatherings and travel to states with high positivity rates. 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 the district.

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

Jan. 5, 2021

Dear Families,

On Monday, Jan. 4, 2021, Gov. Cuomo announced new metrics on keeping schools open amid the pandemic and COVID-19 testing in schools. 

The new metrics require schools in counties with a positivity rate of 9% or higher to perform COVID-19 testing in order to keep schools open for in-person instruction. According to the New York Forward website, Rensselaer County’s current positivity rate is 10.9%. On-site testing is in our very near future.

Gov. Cuomo indicated that if the positivity rate within a school is lower than that of its community, the school can remain open for in-person instruction.

Although details of the state’s plan have not yet been released, we are closely following this data and will provide you with more information when it becomes available to us.

We ask that you please fill out and return the testing consent form as soon as possible so we can be ready to start testing as soon as we are required. You can fill out the form and scan it back to our health office in an email to tgibbs@wynantskillufsd.org. Although the form does not have a box to check off “no testing,” please write “no” somewhere on the form and send it back to us so we can keep our lists updated and confirmed. 

Please note that the BinaxNOW Rapid Antigen Test we will be performing in school is not the deep-sinus nasopharyngeal swab performed in medical facilities. The school tests are a non-invasive swab in the lowermost portion of the nostril. Tests will be administered only by School Nurse Tricia Gibbs. The Gardner-Dickinson School is a satellite testing site of Questar III BOCES. Questar III is an approved Limited Service Lab (LSL), and Questar III has provided test-administration training to Ms. Gibbs. For more information on testing, please refer to our COVID-19 On-Site Testing FAQ.

A transcript of Gov. Cuomo’s Jan. 4 briefing is available here for more information.

As always, if you have any questions, please reach out to me directly.

Sincerely,

Dr. Mary Yodis
Wynantskill UFSD Superintendent

Jan. 2, 2021

Dear Families,

The Wynantskill UFSD was informed today two middle school students have tested positive for COVID-19. 

No contact tracing is required due to the timeframe of the positives, deemed by the Rensselaer County Department of Health. No action is necessary by any students or staff, and you may continue your usual schedules. Gardner-Dickinson will remain open as normal on Monday, Jan. 4, 2021.

While we understand you may want additional details, privacy laws restrict us from divulging any further information about the positive individuals. We ask that our families respect the positive individuals’ privacy.

Upon our return from holiday break, we would like to remind our families to please complete the state-mandated daily health screening form each day for your child(ren) prior to sending them to school. We also ask our families and staff to remain vigilant in following all protocols set forth by the CDC, NYSDOH and Gov. Andrew Cuomo, which includes practicing social distancing and proper hand hygiene, properly wearing face coverings and avoiding travel to states with high positivity rates and large gatherings. 

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

The health, safety and well-being of our students and staff remain our top priority. We continue to follow state and local guidance to ensure we are doing everything we possibly can to protect your family’s and the community’s health.

If you have any questions or need to report any COVID-related issues before we return to school on Jan. 4, 2021, please do not hesitate to contact me directly at myodis@wynantskillufsd.org.

Sincerely,

Dr. Mary Yodis
Wynantskill UFSD Superintendent