APCSD Families,
We would like to thank you for your support in our efforts to reopen our schools safely. We have already seen many successes in our in-person, hybrid, and virtual classrooms. As we continue through the 2020-2021 school year, APCSD is coordinating with other districts in our county, as well as the county health department. We are monitoring any changes that are being made to state guidance and adjusting our reopening plan accordingly.
The current NYS Department of Health guidance states, “This return to school protocol shall include, at minimum, documentation from a health care provider following evaluation, negative COVID-19 diagnostic test result, and symptom resolution, or if COVID-19 positive, release from isolation.”
In an effort to strictly follow the guidance, effective Oct. 1, APCSD will require students and staff who exhibit COVID-19 symptoms to have clearance from their physician and a negative COVID-19 test result in order to return to school / work.
If an individual chooses not to have a COVID-19 test, then they cannot return to school / work until it has been 10 days since the onset of symptoms and three days since the last fever without the use of fever-reducing medication, and has documentation of a completed evaluation by the individual’s medical provider.
The requirement of a negative COVID-19 test for symptomatic students to return to school is meant to protect the health and safety of all students and staff in compliance with the current written guidance from the state. Should the state issue additional guidance on the matter, we will review our policies and inform parents and guardians of any changes that may be made as a result.
We acknowledge that these requirements may place burdens on our APCSD families, and we ask for your cooperation and understanding as we continue to navigate through this pandemic. For information regarding testing sites, should you need to locate one, visit https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/find-test-site-near-you.
For more information, please see the District’s Returning to School After Illness form.