Averill Park CSD Community,
Last week, the New York State Department of Health released new guidance on COVID-19 protocols and procedures.
The Winter COVID-19 surge hit our community hard, but the data shows that it is slowing. The District has seen a dramatic rise in attendance since the holiday break. Typically, the District’s attendance is above 90%, but it dropped below that threshold from December 23 through January 14. Since Tuesday of this week, attendance has been between 92% and 93% – the highest percentage since December 3.
Over the past two years, we have learned just how important in-person instruction is to the social, emotional, and academic growth and well-being of our students. To that end, the District is making the following changes.
Home Testing Program
- APCSD’s Home Testing Program will allow asymptomatic unvaccinated close contacts (students or staff) to attend classes by testing negative through home testing using rapid antigen tests, commonly known as over-the-counter home tests, during a five-day period following exposure.
- If the exposed contact develops symptoms, they must be immediately excluded from school per current school guidance (January 13th 2021), get tested, and follow isolation guidance.
- The District will utilize the home test kits that have been provided by New York State through Questar III BOCES.
- Any student who is identified as an unvaccinated close contact will be given test kits by the District.
- Testing must occur on the mornings of Day 3 and then again on Day 5 prior to the start of the school day. The results of the home test will be communicated to the District via a form that will be provided to families as necessary. Parents/guardians should complete this form and upload a picture of the test result, whether it is positive or negative. If the test result is negative, your child may attend school that day. If the result is positive, your child should isolate and follow all isolation guidance (in the January 13 guidance linked above).
Virtual Instruction
- Beginning Monday, January 24 virtual instruction will only be for students who test positive for the COVID-19 virus and are in isolation.
Chromebooks
- Given our current positivity numbers, the District does not anticipate having to switch to remote learning. As a result, students in grades 2-5 are no longer required to transport their Chromebooks to and from school on a daily basis.