Category Archives: Elementary School

Positive COVID-19 Case in Wynantskill UFSD

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March 23, 2021

Dear Families,

Wynantskill UFSD learned today that an elementary student has tested positive for COVID-19. The student has not been physically present in the building since March 15, 2021.

We have been in close communication with the Rensselaer County Department of Health (RCDOH) to determine any necessary follow-up, and RCDOH 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.

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

Appreciation Week – Friday

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Today, we are appreciating our bus drivers, custodians, parents and students!
Our bus drivers have worked hard ensuring students remain six feet apart while getting to and from school and disinfecting all seats between use of buses.
Our custodial and maintenance staff learned about new health and safety protocols and worked day and night disinfecting classrooms, hallways and all other areas within the building and helping to move furniture to ensure a six-foot distance between each student’s workspace.
THANK YOU, PARENTS! You have quickly stepped into the role of at-home tutors and were patient and understanding through all of the changes thrown your way. A total of 50% of our parents drop off and pick up students from school, which is what has allowed our district to be open five days a week for the entirety of the school year! We are so appreciative of all your hard work and support throughout the year!
Last, but certainly not least, our students adapted to every obstacle that came their way this past year. Many of our students are too young to fully understand what has been happening, and their lives have been turned upside down. Through the many changes students faced including separation from friends, adapting to online learning and more, they overcame and continued with their education, no matter how the pandemic changed their lives. Our students are our heroes, and they’re the ones we work so hard for day in and day out.

Appreciation Week – Thursday

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Today, we are taking a moment to appreciate our Board of Education, office staff, aides and food service workers.
Our Board of Education has continued to volunteer their time to ensure students have ample opportunities, even during the pandemic. Their uninterrupted support to district has been invaluable throughout the pandemic.
Our office staff worked to answer any questions parents and guardians had and supported other departments in everyday operations to ensure all aspects of reopening plans were implemented daily.
Our aides stepped in to take student temperatures, assist in drop-off and pick-up and more.
Our food service department prepared thousands of student meals during the 2019-20 shutdown and delivered individually wrapped meals during the 2020-21 school year. Their hard work ensured all students always had food on their plates.
Because of you all, Gardner-Dickinson is #OneYearStronger.

Online Book Fair

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Gardner-Dickinson will hold an online book fair from March 22 – April 4. Shipping is free on book-only purchases over $25.

Learn more and browse more than 6,000 products on our book fair homepage.

Appreciation Week – Tuesday

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Today, we would like to thank our first responders.
Town of North Greenbush Police Department, Wynantskill Fire Department and North Greenbush EMS have ensured the larger community as well as our school community remained safe during the pandemic.
Thank you for coming to our school during fire drills, lockdown drills and more to make sure our students know the proper protocols to execute these drills during the pandemic. The North Greenbush Police Department assisted in a lockdown drill just yesterday. You are one of the reasons we are #OneYearStronger.

Positive COVID-19 Case in Wynantskill UFSD

Posted on

March 10, 2021

Dear Families,

The Wynantskill UFSD has learned today that a middle school 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.

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

Virtual Literacy Fair

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Gardner-Dickinson is hosting its first Virtual Literacy Fair. Students may create a project at home inspired by something they have read or have had read to them. Projects based on books and original writing are welcome. Examples of projects include but are not limited to: posters, dioramas, mobiles, book reports, comic books and poetry.  We will display and celebrate the projects at the end of the month in a virtual school assembly. If your child is interested in participating, please fill out the registration form and return it to your child’s teacher by Friday, March 19.  Participants will have the opportunity to win Scholastic gift certificates! All students are invited to participate.

Timeline of Events: 

Friday, Mar. 19 registration form due

Monday, Mar. 29 digital photograph of the project due 

Week of Mar. 29 virtual presentation of projects, gift certificate winners announced

Please email Katie Sheehan with questions. A digital photograph of the project should also be sent to Mrs. Sheehan at the same email address.

If your presentation changes or if you decide not to participate in the Literacy Fair, please email Mrs. Sheehan so we can update our records. We look forward to seeing all of the projects!

March is Pick a Reading Partner (PARP) Month

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March is Pick a Reading Partner (PARP) Month!

What is PARP?
PARP is a statewide family reading program initiated by the late Senator Donovan and implemented voluntarily by school districts. The program began as a result of concern for children’s declining interest in reading for pleasure. The purpose of the program is to help develop good reading habits and a positive attitude toward reading beyond the classroom.

Bee a Reader Theme
This year, our program theme is Bee a Reader! Now more than ever, we want to recognize and thank you, our GD families, for your role in your child’s educational development. Even though the pandemic means we won’t be able to host a live author visit, family shopping night or Literacy Fair this year, we can still celebrate the joys of reading together and recognize our star readers. We truly appreciate all you do to help your child Bee a Reader!

Program Details

  • Program Dates:  March 1-March 31, 2021
  • PTA Book Fair (Online Shopping Only): March 22-April 4 
  • Reading Record Calendar (completed) due: Wednesday, March 31

Reading record calendars are available here. They must be filled out by an adult for each day read. To complete the program, students must read a minimum of 20 days for 15 minutes per day with a parent or other partner. Completed calendars should be returned to classroom teachers on March 31. At the conclusion of the program, certificates and awards will be presented to participants who read a minimum of 20 days for 15 minutes per day and returned their completed reading record calendar on time.

Positive COVID-19 Case in Wynantskill UFSD

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Feb. 12, 2021

Dear Families,

The Wynantskill UFSD was informed today an elementary student has tested positive for COVID-19. The student has not been physically present in the building since Feb. 5.

The Rensselaer County Department of Health has determined no contact tracing is necessary due to the student’s extended absence. No action is necessary by any students or staff, and you may continue your usual schedules.

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

Upon our return from winter 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 and 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 Feb. 22, 2021, please do not hesitate to contact me directly at myodis@wynantskillufsd.org.

 

Sincerely,

Dr. Mary Yodis
Wynantskill UFSD Superintendent

Winter Break Reminders from the District

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Winter break is upon us (Feb. 15-19). While school breaks typically consist of gatherings with friends and family alike and, at times, travel, we must enjoy our break a bit differently this school year. Our students are counting on the entire school community to maintain a safe, consistent learning environment amid the pandemic. As a community, we have made outstanding efforts thus far to slow the spread of COVID-19. We must continue these efforts over break to provide the safest learning environment possible and keep our students in school. 

We would like to share the following reminders regarding winter break:

  • The state discourages travel. State travel guidelines require persons traveling to and from noncontiguous states to quarantine for 10 days upon their return. Travelers may test out of the 10-day quarantine, as outlined below:
    • Individuals who traveled outside of New York and its contiguous states for more than 24 hours must be tested within three days of departure from their travel destination.
    • Upon arrival in New York, the traveler must quarantine for three days.
    • On day four of quarantine, the traveler must be tested a second time.
    • The traveler may exit quarantine upon receipt of a negative test result.

Please notify the school health office of your plans to travel. Any test results will need to be submitted prior to your child(ren) returning to school. Please be reminded your child(ren) will need to learn remotely while quarantining after travel. Please review the district’s remote learning plan and student expectations while remote. Students participating in remote learning will follow the same schedule as students who are in school. Students participating in school remotely are expected to follow schedules daily and to log in as if they were in school. Attendance is required, and daily attendance will be taken. 

  • Please refrain from hosting or attending small gatherings with friends and family you do not live with if possible. Small gatherings have shown to contribute to living room spread.
  • Please continue to properly wear masks, practice social distancing and proper hand hygiene.
  • Remember to have fun!

We’d like to thank everyone for your support and continuous efforts to keep our students, staff and school community as safe as possible during this unparalleled time. Please enjoy winter break to the fullest extent possible while staying safe. We are GD strong.