This message was revised on Jan. 12, 2022
A message from Superintendent Wiles
Dear Guilderland CSD Families,
The Guilderland Central School District has received new guidelines regarding quarantine and isolation protocols from the New York State Department of Health; we will begin to follow these protocols, effective Wednesday, Jan. 12. These protocols reduce the length of quarantine from 10 days to 5 days as long as the student or staff member is not showing COVID-19 related symptoms.
Revised quarantine guidelines for students and staff
If you test positive for COVID-19
Regardless of vaccination status, you must quarantine for 5 days. On day 6 you may return to school/work if you are asymptomatic or if symptoms are resolving and you meet the conditions detailed below under “return to school/work”. If you are moderately-to-severely immunocompromised, follow the standard 10-day isolation guidance.
If you have been exposed to COVID-19
It is important to note that if a student or staff member is exposed to an individual who is positive for COVID-19, the date of exposure is considered day 0. Day 1 is the first full day after your last contact with the positive individual.
- If you had close contact with an individual who has tested positive for COVID-19 you may have to quarantine, based on the following:
- If you are fully vaccinated and asymptomatic, no quarantine is required for school/work, extracurricular activities or after school activities.
- If you are not fully vaccinated, you must quarantine for at least 5 days, with day zero being the first day of exposure. These individuals could be eligible to participate in the Test to Stay program to continue to attend school/work during the quarantine period. For extracurricular activities, after school activities, and outside of the school setting, 10 day quarantine recommendations apply.
- To return to school/work, you must meet the conditions detailed below.
If you are currently under a 10-day quarantine, please follow the new guidance
This chart explains adjusted release dates based on the new 5-day quarantine guidance:
|
Day 0 (First-day of onset of symptoms, receiving a positive test, or contact with a positive case) |
Original 10-Day Release Date |
New 5-Day Release Date if Symptoms have Subsided |
|
01/03/2022 |
01/14/2022 |
01/09/2022 |
|
01/04/2022 |
01/15/2022 |
01/10/2022 |
|
01/05/2022 |
01/16/2022 |
01/11/2022 |
|
01/06/2022 |
01/17/2022 |
01/12/2022 |
|
01/07/2022 |
01/18/2022 |
01/13/2022 |
|
01/08/2022 |
01/19/2022 |
01/14/2022 |
|
01/09/2022 |
01/20/2022 |
01/15/2022 |
|
01/10/2022 |
01/21/2022 |
01/16/2022 |
|
01/11/2022 |
01/22/2022 |
01/17/2022 |
To return to school/work
Students and staff must be healthy before returning to school/work and meet all of the following conditions:
- No fever for at least 24 hours without fever-reducing medication.
- No runny nose.
- No more than a minimal, non-productive cough.
- All other symptoms must be improving.
- Must wear a well-fitting, non-woven mask while around others. This should be done until the conclusion of day 10 after exposure or positive diagnosis.
- If the individual cannot wear a well-fitting mask while around others (i.e. runny nose which would cause the mask to be removed frequently), the individual should stay in quarantine/isolation until symptoms subside.
COVID-19 cases for Jan. 7-Jan. 11
The information below details the number of new COVID-19 positive cases for Jan. 7-Jan. 11. Because of the overwhelming number of positive cases, it is very difficult to verify the numbers of close contacts. Rather than share information that is not accurate, we are only reporting numbers of cases by building at this time.
Altamont Elementary School: 16 new cases
Guilderland Elementary School: 17 new cases
Lynnwood Elementary School: 14 new cases
Pine Bush Elementary School: 7 new cases
Westmere Elementary School: 14 new cases
Farnsworth Middle School: 43 new cases
Guilderland High School: 58 new cases
Test to Stay program producing encouraging results
GCSD implemented a Test to Stay program, which allows asymptomatic, unvaccinated students who have been in close contact with a COVID-19 positive student to stay in school. To do so, the student must test negative three times following the exposure. On day one of the program, 134 students were able to stay in school, for in-person instruction, due to negative COVID-19 test results.
As always, thank you for your continued patience and support.
Sincerely,
Marie Wiles, Ph.D.
Superintendent