A message from Superintendent Wiles:
Dear Guilderland CSD Families,
Yesterday a communication was sent to all GCSD families about “Test to Stay”, a new measure the Guilderland Central School District will be implementing, effective Monday, Jan. 10. Test to Stay 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 during a seven-day period following the exposure. To learn more about New York State Department of Health’s guidelines on Test to Stay programs for school districts, please click here.
12-15 year olds now eligible for COVID-19 booster shot
On Wednesday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) expanded the eligibility of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 booster doses to include children 12-15 years of age, provided they received their initial vaccine series at least five months ago. I strongly encourage all parents and guardians to speak to a trusted medical professional about the COVID-19 initial vaccine or booster. Vaccination is one of the most effective measures we have to fight COVID-19. You can read more about the COVID-19 booster doses here. To schedule a COVID-19 vaccine appointment at a New York State mass vaccination site, use this link.
COVID-19 cases for Jan. 4-Jan. 7
The information below details the number of new COVID-19 positive cases for Jan. 4-Jan 7 and the resulting number of required quarantines.
Altamont Elementary School: 5 new cases; 3 close contacts requiring quarantine
Guilderland Elementary School: 16 new cases; 3 close contacts requiring quarantine
Lynnwood Elementary School: 4 new cases; 3 close contacts requiring quarantine
Pine Bush Elementary School: 5 new cases; 18 close contacts requiring quarantine
Westmere Elementary School: 10 new cases; 4 close contacts requiring quarantine
Farnsworth Middle School: 33 new cases; 18 close contacts requiring quarantine
Guilderland High School: 63 new cases; 10 close contacts requiring quarantine
The number of COVID-19 cases affecting GCSD continues to rise, so please keep your child home if they feel sick, even if the symptoms are mild. By doing so, you will help reduce the risk of spreading the illness to others.
There is no denying these are challenging times. As always, I appreciate your continued patience and support. Have a wonderful weekend.
Sincerely,
Marie Wiles, Ph.D.
Superintendent