Positive Covid-19 Case at Gardner-Dickinson School

Dear Families,

The Wynantskill UFSD has learned today of a positive Covid-19 case at Gardner-Dickinson School.

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 individuals, 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 and proper hand hygiene.

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

Positive Covid-19 Case at Wynantskill UFSD

Dear Families,

The Wynantskill UFSD has learned today of two positive Covid-19 cases in Gardner-Dickinson elementary school.

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 individuals, 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 and proper hand hygiene.

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

Tips for Celebrating the Holidays Safely

The CDC has released updated guidance on how best to safely celebrate the holidays. Some important highlights include:

  • Protect those not yet eligible for vaccination (such as young children) by getting yourself and other eligible people around them vaccinated.
  • Wear well-fitting masks over your nose and mouth if you are in public indoor settings.
  • Avoid crowded, poorly ventilated spaces.
  • Outdoors is safer than indoors.
  • If you are sick or have symptoms, don’t host or attend a gathering.
  • Get tested if you have symptoms of COVID-19 or have a close contact with someone who has COVID-19.

See the full guidance here.

 

Reminder – Covid-Testing Consent Form Due Oct. 29

Please note that we sent home a consent form with your children on October 14 regarding Covid-19 testing, which we are required to offer by the NYS Department of Health. You can also download the form here. We anticipate this testing will begin by early November.

We ask that you complete and return the form to Gardner-Dickinson’s main office in-person or with your children by October 29. The original communication regarding this matter can be viewed here.

 

Letter Regarding Covid Testing Consent and Form

Dear Families,

Wynantskill UFSD is now required by the New York State Department of Health to test unvaccinated staff and to offer testing to unvaccinated students whose parents or guardians consent to this weekly testing.

We will be offering general testing in the near future to comply with this state requirement as well as expand point-of-care testing for students who are displaying COVID-19 symptoms.

General surveillance testing will be used to detect asymptomatic COVID-19 infections in unvaccinated students and staff using a rapid antigen test. Point-of-care testing will be conducted using rapid molecular testing involving the same shallow swab as the rapid antigen test. This will provide a quick result in the case of a student or staff member who began presenting symptoms while at school.

Today, we will be sending home a hardcopy of the consent form with your children; we are asking parents and guardians to please indicate their consent for these tests. You may consent to one, both or none. Please return the form by sending it in with your child or dropping it off in our main office by October 29, 2021.

We anticipate that both surveillance and point-of-care testing will begin early November. Members of our school staff along with Questar III BOCES nurses will oversee all testing, which involves gently swabbing the inner part of the lower nostril.

Regular testing will help protect everyone against COVID-19. Thank you for your continued flexibility, resilience, and patience as we work together to contain the spread of this virus.

 

Sincerely,
Mary Yodis
Superintendent of Schools
Wynantskill UFSD

 

Download copy of testing consent form here.