Wynantskill UFSD Closed Dec. 18

Due to unsafe travel conditions, Wynantskill UFSD will be closed tomorrow, December 18.

A number of roads in the area are unsafe to travel on, as snow removal is incomplete.

Please be reminded that the Wynantskill UFSD will not be participating in the New York State Education Department’s snow day pilot. We are closed for both in-person and virtual learning.

Enjoy the additional snow day. Continue traditions, and make new traditions as well.

Please continue to send snow day photos to kthorsey@wynantskillufsd.org so we can share on our social media and district website.

Be safe, and have fun. 

 

Sincerely,

Dr. Mary Yodis
Wynantskill UFSD Superintendent

Wynantskill UFSD Closed Dec. 17

While we do not typically call a snow day the night before, all weather predictions for tomorrow are calling for significant snowfall. We believe it is in the best interest of our entire school community to announce tonight that the Wynantskill UFSD will be closed tomorrow, December 17.

Please be reminded that the Wynantskill UFSD will not be participating in the New York State Education Department’s snow day pilot. We are closed for both in-person and virtual learning.

Instead of getting out Chromebooks and chargers, we hope that our students will get out their boots and sleds during snow days this winter. In a year that has been full of changes, we hope our families will be able to maintain snow day traditions and let go of worry for just a moment. 

Tomorrow, build a snowman; make hot cocoa; watch your favorite holiday movie; go sledding. Enjoy the wonders snow days bring.

As you enjoy the fresh snow, take photos that will last a lifetime. As you wind down at the end of the day, send those photos to kthorsey@wynantskillufsd.org so we can share on our social media and district website.

Stay safe, and enjoy. 

 

Sincerely,

Dr. Mary Yodis
Wynantskill UFSD Superintendent

COVID-19 Testing Consent Form and Test Information

New York State has implemented a micro-cluster strategy to designate areas with high COVID-19 infection rates as Yellow, Orange, or Red Zones, based on positivity rates and daily new cases. If a zip code, census tract or region is placed in one of those Zones, there will be restrictions for schools.

Please review our Yellow, Orange and Red Micro-Cluster Zone letter if you have not already done so.

Testing a portion of our school’s population for COVID-19 is a requirement set forth by the state if we enter a Yellow, Orange or Red Zone in order to keep our school open. Just as we have asked for your continued assistance with following the new COVID-19 protocols, we would need your permission to administer tests to your children. The Wynantskill UFSD testing consent form is available here. This applies only to in-person students. Students who are learning in a full virtual setting are not required to be tested.

Please note the test will not be the deep-sinus nasopharyngeal swab. The test will be a non-invasive nasal swab, just inside the lowermost portion of the nostril. Please view this test demonstration video.

The testing consent form will be sent home with students tomorrow, December 15. Please fill out and return the consent form.

We would like to thank each and every member of our school community for your uninterrupted support and understanding. We are GD Strong, and we will get through this difficult time together.

Smartphone with GD Royals logo and 67587

Sign Up for Text Alerts

Sign Up for Text Alerts

Sign Up for Text AlertsWynantskill UFSD offers text alerts for school delays, school closings, and other emergency or non-emergency announcements.

How To Sign Up

Parents just need to text the letter Y to number 67587 using the phone you would like to receive text messages on. You should receive a response confirming you have subscribed.

We recommend subscribers create an entry in their phone’s contact list for “Wynantskill UFSD” and the phone number 67587. This will help make it clear that the text is coming from the district.

If you have trouble signing up for text alerts, please call the Main Office at 518-283-4600 ext. 10 so we can check if we have the correct contact information on file.

If You Experience an Issue

It is important to note that your phone number must be in the system to receive text alerts. If you text the letter Y to 67587 and your number is not in the system, you will still receive a confirmation text but will not receive future text alerts. (We apologize for this, but it is how the system operates and we cannot change that).

If you are a parent and experience an issue, please contact the Main Office. They can check to see if your contact information is correct.

Positive COVID-19 Case in Wynantskill UFSD

December 10, 2020

Dear Families,

Wynantskill UFSD was informed today that a middle school student has tested positive for COVID-19. The student has not been physically present in the building since December 4, 2020.

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

The county has advised that due to the timeframe of the positive case notification we are to continue with our regular cleaning protocols. The District will perform an additional deep clean of the school tonight as a precaution. The building will be open as normal tomorrow, December 11.

We encourage you to offer your full cooperation if you are contacted by a representative of the Department or the District. If you are not contacted by a representative of the Department 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.

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

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

Video Message from Principal Cornell

Wynantskill UFSD has welcomed Mrs. Suzann Cornell as its new building principal!
Principal Cornell worked for Albany City School District for 23 years. She started her career as a teacher at Pine Hills Elementary School and became a district-wide literacy coach in 2013. In 2016, she began serving as an administrator where she worked with students in elementary, middle and high school.
Principal Cornell earned her bachelor’s degree from The College of Saint Rose, her master’s from the University at Albany and holds a National Board Certification in Literacy. Principal Cornell is thrilled to be working with everyone in the Wynantskill UFSD and is looking forward to getting to know our entire school community.
She is a proud wife and mother of three who enjoys gardening, going for walks and cooking when she is not working.
Please review the following video message from Principal Cornell.

Winter Attire

Wynantskill UFSD Families,

Please be advised our students will be outdoors for recess whenever weather permits. Please ensure your student comes to school prepared to go outside on any given day. This includes having a winter coat, hat, gloves and proper footwear readily available to your student while in school. We appreciate your cooperation.

Daily Health Screening Form Reminder

As positive COVID-19 cases continue to rise nationally, state-wide and regionally, please be reminded that you must complete the Daily Health Screening Form for your child(ren) every morning before sending them to school for in-person instruction. Please submit the online screening form each morning, which is sent to a student’s primary contact via email. If you are not receiving the health screening via email, please contact the main office.

Please note that you will receive the form on weekends. You do not need to fill it out on weekends unless contacted to do so. 

Each school community member must do their part to ensure our school environment remains safe. The daily health screening provides our school with pertinent, vital information that allows us to continue in-person learning. 

Completing the daily health screening is not optional. This mandatory daily health screening is a state requirement to help ensure the health and safety of our school community. 

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation.

Snow Day Information

Dear Families,

As we approach the holidays, we anticipate school cancellations due to inclement weather during the winter months.

As you may know, the state has introduced a snow day pilot, which allows districts to go remote in response to inclement weather/closings. Districts have the option to implement remote learning on days that would otherwise be a snow day for the 2020-21 school year.

Wynantskill UFSD will not be participating in the state’s snow day pilot. In the coming months, we will be implementing snow days as we have in years past. We see the value in our students experiencing a traditional snow day, and we aim to salvage any sense of normalcy possible during this unprecedented school year.

School closures and two-hour delays will be communicated via SchoolMessenger, the Wynantskill UFSD website and local news stations. 

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out. Stay safe, and stay well.

 

Sincerely,

Dr. Mary Yodis
Wynantskill UFSD Superintendent