• January 13, 2021

     

    Dear parents and caregivers:

     

    I look forward to welcoming your children back to our buildings for hybrid learning next week. Students at Duzine, Lenape, and the Middle School are scheduled to return on Tuesday, January 19, and our High School doors will resume hybrid learning on Wednesday, January 20. 

     

    Please bear in mind that our ability to offer hybrid instruction is entirely fluid and can change with little notice in response to various factors, including an increase in positivity rates in the community and the impact that mandatory quarantines have on our staffing levels. We enjoy having our students learning in person, and want them to be here. We are keeping watchful eyes on our area’s COVID-positivity rates and are continuing to work closely with Ulster County Department of Health (UCDOH). Our ability to continue offering in-person instruction depends largely on our community’s commitment to handwashing, wearing masks, social distancing, and making smart choices. 

     

    A few important reminders: 

    • We are now beginning the second semester. Anyone who wishes to request a change in their learning model for the remainder of the year is now able to do so by completing this form: https://forms.gle/prTMjFoEG9tuDH3t7. The deadline for requesting a change is Thursday, January 14. If you do not plan to request a change to your student’s learning model, then no action is required. These changes will be effective Monday, January 25.

    • Should our region’s positivity rate continue to increase, we may be required to test a percentage of our students, teachers and staff.  Governor Cuomo has mandated that in order for schools to remain open for in-person instruction, 20% of in-person students, teachers, and staff must be tested at least once a week for as long as the school remains in a designated zone. Ulster County school districts are working with the Ulster County Department of Health  to finalize all that is needed for this to occur. All four of our nurses have been trained to administer the tests. If you have not yet completed the required permission form for your child to be tested, please do so now by visiting https://bit.ly/3qimlJL.   

    • Free school breakfasts and lunches are available to all students for the remainder of the 2020-2021 school year on days that school is in session. Meals are delivered to homes for students when learning remotely, even if only temporarily due to a quarantine. Meals are delivered to the student’s classroom on the days they attend. To sign up, complete the form at https://forms.gle/Qfq69XcMWLHvDVYLA or simply call the Food Service Office at 845-256-4050. 

    • It is critical that your student’s emergency contact information is up-to-date in PowerSchool so that we may be able to reach you for contract tracing or in the event of another emergency. 

     

    Please continue to follow all safety protocols so we can keep everyone safe and healthy. Complete the screening questionnaire each day and remember that neck gaiters, bandanas, and masks with valves are considered unsuitable face coverings. Last but not least, if your child is sick, please do not send them to school. 

     

    I appreciate your cooperation and commitment to the health and safety of our students. Please reach out to your building principals with any specific questions about returning to our hybrid instructional model. 

     

    Sincerely,

    Angela Urbina-Medina 

    Superintendent of Schools