Glens Falls City Schools

COVID Update: January 15, 2021 As Glens Falls City Schools transition back to in-person learning next week, we will be moving to a consolidated, near-daily COVID update email for all families and staff members. The email will contain the number of new confirmed cases, if any, within the district, the building associated with the positive cases, as well as any other COVID-19 related information we need to share with parents and staff. If any confirmed case requires a mandat...ory quarantine of other students or adults, school personnel will contact parents and staff members separately by phone. If we are conducting in-school rapid testing that day, the daily update email will also include the number of students and staff who were tested that day. Here is a summary update of the past five days, January 11-15, using the best information that has been reported to us: GFSD individuals under quarantine: 13 GFSD new positive cases: 1 (MS), 2 (BC), 2 (HS) Warren Co. Public Health active quarantines as of 1/15: 1,132 Warren Co. Public Health active COVID-19 cases as of 1/15: 477 (Data from Warren Co. COVID Hub) Please note that the NYS COVID-19 School Report Card only displays positive case data for students and staff who reside in Warren County. We have staff members who reside in *six* surrounding counties, and each health department has different caseloads and notification protocols. We rely on self-reporting of positive cases outside Warren County, particularly when a health department is swamped. Due to these reasons, positive case and quarantine data that is reported by GFSD will differ from the counts on the State’s school report card. We want to take this opportunity to remind everyone of the importance of wearing face masks everywhere outside your home, avoiding gatherings or travel, and regularly washing your hands. Please continue to conduct at-home screenings and maintain personal awareness of COVID symptoms for your children. The health, safety, and well-being of our school community remains our main focus. We will continue to work closely with WCPH, and will follow their guidance on how to maintain a safe and healthy learning environment.

January 14, 2021: District to pilot school-based COVID testing plan as a pathway to reopening in-person learning in grades 7-12 As we balance our overwhelming desire to get back to in-person learning with the stark realities of the COVID pandemic, GFSD will pilot its school-based COVID testing plan next week as a pathway to safer resumption of classroom-based instruction. On Tuesday, January 19th, a randomized subset of returning fifth and sixth graders, MS teachers, and MS s...upport staff, along with a specified subset of High School students, HS teachers, and HS support staff will be given the BinaxNOW COVID-19 rapid test, administered by our own school nurses in the Middle School gymnasium. This is the simple, quick, shallow nasal swab test. Please read the descriptions on the district website of the test and process for GFSD students. On Thursday and Friday, January 21-22, randomized subsets of students, teachers, and staff members will be tested at Kensington Road, Big Cross, and Jackson Heights elementary schools as well. Each subset represents 15 percent of the total hybrid/in-person universe of children and adults at each building. The initial High School subset includes students in the Early College Career Academy, BOCES CTE, and New Visions programs which require hands-on certification hours difficult to complete during a suspension of in-person learning. All parents/guardians will be notified with an advance email if their child is selected for testing next week. Only students who have a parent-completed testing consent form on file will be considered for randomized selection. The testing results of these subset will provide benchmarking data for the district to use in planning for a return to full hybrid/in-person instruction. *IF* these initial results show a low positivity rate within our school community, the district will consider a return to hybrid/in-person learning for Grades 7-12 on Monday, January 25th. If new positive cases or quarantines increase, we will immediately revert to all-remote instruction. Families should prepare now for that scenario. Additional subset rapid testing would be scheduled at the HS/MS on Monday and Tuesday, January 25-26 if Grades 7-12 were to return. We are hopeful that the completion of staff member quarantines, baseline testing of 15% of our in-person individuals, and a super strict adherence to hand-washing, 6+ feet of social distancing, and all-day mask-wearing will allow our in-person learning to resume as safely as possible. Please do your part to keep GF Nation strong!

COVID Update: January 12, 2021: Grades K-6 will return to in-person/hybrid on Tuesday, 1/19 Dear Parents and Guardians: We’ve committed to keeping you informed about our pandemic operation plans, as this public health emergency evolves.... Friday, we outlined dozens of currently positive COVID cases and mandatory quarantines affecting people in each of our school buildings. The District hasn’t gone one day in January without a new positive case within our school community. Warren County has reported hundreds of new positive cases in that same time frame. Our local situation is not getting better. At the same time, maintaining in-person learning for the youngest and differently-abled students has been prioritized by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the New York State Departments of Education and Health, and our own leadership team. The AAP stated just last week that new research find[s] that schools have not been a significant driver of SARS-CoV-2 transmission in their communities when they take safety precautions. Transmission has been especially low among younger children. Any return to our classrooms will follow the strictest of cleaning, hygiene, and illness prevention strategies. If new positive cases or quarantines increase, we will immediately revert to all-remote instruction. Families should prepare now for that scenario. On Tuesday, January 19th, in-person learning will resume for Grades K-6, with 5th and 6th grades following their established Blue/Orange hybrid model. Grades 7-12 will remain in the all-remote instruction model until Monday, February 1st at the earliest. The decision on when to return Grades 7-12 to hybrid/in-person learning will be made with the best available data, in hopes that staffing levels and illness containment will allow us to get back in the classroom as soon as possible. New Visions, Early College Career Academy, and CTE BOCES students will continue to learn remote-only during this time. Weekly meal bags will be available for Grades 7-12 students. Pickups will be every Tuesday, using the drive-through in the Middle School parking lot from 2-4 pm. Please keep to your own home as much as possible, so we can stop the community spread of Coronavirus. Do not gather. Do not socialize with neighbors. Do not travel. Read the daily COVID-19 updates from Warren County, and keep your family safe and healthy.

Hey, sophomores... tune in TONIGHT! Early College Career Academy is a partnership between SUNY Adirondack and WSWHE BOCES that allows Glens Falls High School students to earn up to 32 college credits - at no cost to students! Two-year programs begin in junior year of high school: - Advanced Manufacturing - Business and Entrepreneurship... - Information Technology/Computer Networking - New Media Students can also acquire national or internationally-recognized industry credentials, participate in work-based learning projects and industry challenges, and be mentored by practicing professionals in their field of study. To learn more, attend an upcoming virtual information session: Thursday, Jan. 7th from 6:30 - 8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 14th from 6:30 - 8 p.m. Register online HERE: https://docs.google.com//1Wa99Fnfnzo7ojTtCZlBp2M/viewform Check out each of the ECCA programs HERE: https://www.sunyacc.edu/early-college-career-academy

Meal bags for the week will be available for pickup at each elementary school and the MS/HS on Monday, Jan. 11th. Pickups will be drive-up at Big Cross, Jackson Heights, and Kensington from 10:30am - noon. High School and Middle School pickups will use the drive-through in the Middle School parking lot from noon - 2pm. Same as last week, you may choose the most convenient location to pick up ALL your children's meals. Families who have been All-Virtual for the entire year can still use the Tuesday drive-through pickup between 3-4pm.

A huge THANK YOU to our Glens Falls students, parents, teachers, and staff for their hard work turning lemons into lemonade on our first day of all-remote instruction! We sure do appreciate the grit, determination, and smiles we’ve seen so far. #GFNationSTRONG And a special high-five goes out to our incredible tech team, keeping us connected through it all!

COVID Update: January 8, 2021 Thank you to all parents, guardians, students, faculty, and staff for your collective resilience and determination during our first week of all-remote learning. If the current COVID infection trends within our school community continue, we will all need even more tenacity and resolve to keep learning over the next few weeks. We’ll be reaching back out to you early next week on plans for Tuesday, January 19th and moving forward. Since the last day... of in-person learning on Dec. 23rd, the district has had 51 students, 40 families, and 28 faculty/staff members either test positive, or been placed on mandatory DOH quarantine for COVID infection. These cases affect the High School, Middle School, Kensington, Jackson Heights, and Big Cross. And these are only the cases we know about, as of this afternoon. We are learning of new positive cases almost hourly. (Since these cases have all been identified while the buildings have been closed to students, school-based contact tracing in these cases has not been necessary.) Meal bags for next week will be available for pickup at each elementary school and the MS/HS on Monday, Jan. 11th. Pickups will be drive-up at Big Cross, Jackson Heights, and Kensington from 10:30am - noon. High School and Middle School pickups will use the drive-through in the Middle School parking lot from noon-2pm. Please continue to do the right things, so we can get back to in-person learning as soon as possible. Do not gather. Do not socialize with neighbors. Do not travel. Read the daily COVID-19 updates from Warren County, and keep your family safe and healthy.

Dear K-4 Parents, Guardians, and Caregivers: To help you prepare for your child’s remote learning experience from Monday, 1/4 through Friday, 1/15, classroom plans have been posted for each elementary teacher here: https://www.gfsd.org/elementary-remote-learning-plans/ Please check out this helpful resource for logging on to Google Meets and Classroom, Chromebook tech support, and more: https://docs.google.com//14Sb0VnpgAr9b445K9-enJQhgq1/edit

See https://www.gfsd.org/elementary-remote-learning-plans/ for K-4 remote learning plans, Chromebook help, and more!

Meal bags and supply totes will be available for pickup at each elementary school and the MS/HS on Monday, Jan. 4th. These meals and supplies will get your child(ren) through the first week of the Glens Falls City Schools remote instruction period of Jan. 4-15. Pickups will be drive-through at Big Cross, Jackson Heights, and Kensington from 10:30am - noon. High School and Middle School pickups will use the drive-through in the Middle School parking lot from noon - 2pm.... Please help us plan by providing your courtesy RSVP HERE. (https://forms.gle/MiHaHhx14MU56Uji6) Keep in mind that: Meal bags can be picked up at ANY location for ALL your children, regardless of which school they attend. Siblings at different schools? Choose the school that's closest to you and get everything in one place! Parents can pick up meal bags for neighboring families too. Check with your fellow parents and make one big pickup run for all the kids. Entrees, goodies, side dishes, and milk are all FREE to EVERY child age 18 and under in your household. Please let us take one thing off your mind, and pick up this food service!

We're putting the #GFNation Class of 2021 in the spotlight! Three cheers for this week’s Senior athletes from Fall Season 1: Maya Mattice, Phoebe Fox, and Ella Kules! Read their student-athlete profiles here: https://www.gfsd.org/shine-on-senior-athletes-mattice-fox-/

For this week only, All-Virtual student meal pickup is TODAY at GFMS from 3-4 p.m. We're getting pickup done before Election Day, so families can focus on voting, and on our K-12 Remote Learning day tomorrow. Swing in to the Middle School parking lot and pull around to door M. We'll bring your meal bags right to your car!

Snow on Halloween Eve? No problem ... we’re GF STRONG!! Coach Kevin Crossman’s first block P.E. class rushed the field this morning and created this awesome turf mural!! #GFNation #GFNationSTRONG

Please take note of these calendar details happening over the next two weeks!

Oct. 27, 2020 Parent Update: Travel advisory details for holiday planning As the holiday travel season approaches, our state and local health departments want to remind families about the New York State travel advisory and how it can impact your child’s ability to attend school. Scenario One: Your family travels to a state on the New York State travel advisory list:...Continue reading

Hello, ALL-VIRTUAL families ... Remember to pick up your child's breakfast and lunch meals for the week tomorrow between 3-4 p.m. in the Middle School parking lot. Please circle around the parking lot to Door M, and a staff member will meet you with your child’s meal bags. You don't need to get out of your car! Meal pickup is weekly on Tuesdays from 3-4 p.m. Students can expect breakfast cereals, fresh fruit and veggies, frozen favorites such as chicken quesadilla, chicken patties + nuggets, plus milk for every meal. All meals are FREE to ALL students!!

COVID Update: October 26, 2020 This morning, Glens Falls City School administrators were notified that an individual at Glens Falls Middle School has tested positive for COVID-19. This case is directly related to the Big Cross case reported on Oct. 23rd, and this individual has not been in the school building or on school grounds since Tuesday, Oct. 20th. As soon as we were notified of the positive case, the Superintendent was in direct contact with Warren County Public Healt...h to begin contact tracing protocols. Because of the length of time the individual has been out of the building, WCPH has determined that no additional contact tracing is necessary in this case, and that there is a very low likelihood of transmission to school contacts of this individual. Health privacy laws restrict district officials from disclosing or confirming any personally identifiable information when reporting on COVID-positive situations. Therefore, we cannot identify by name anyone who has tested positive. The individual who tested positive is in isolation for at least 10 days and will not return to the school environment until cleared by Warren County Public Health. Please keep in mind that Warren County Public Health will contact parents directly if their child had close contact with an individual who later tests positive for COVID. Every school keeps detailed, daily records of who was in each classroom, and when. The Health Department reviews these records and makes a medical determination on who, if anyone, should enter a precautionary exposure quarantine. No news is good news! Neither the school district, nor WCPH will withhold necessary information from families who need to enter a precautionary exposure quarantine. The health, safety, and well-being of our school community remains our main focus. We are following protocols aligned with expert health guidance to ensure we are doing everything we can to protect the health of our school community. We also want to take this opportunity to remind everyone of the importance of wearing masks, staying six feet apart from others, and regularly washing your hands. Please continue to conduct at-home screenings and maintain personal awareness of COVID symptoms for your children. This notification to parents and our community at large is part of our commitment to keep you informed during these uncertain times. Currently, our school buildings remain open for in-person instruction. We will continue to work closely with our local Department of Health and we will follow their guidance on how to maintain a safe and healthy learning environment. Visit our website if you would like more information about our health and safety procedures.

We appreciate the dedication and hard work of our Board of Education members! #SBRW2020 #SchoolBoardRecognitionWeek Thank you, Tim Graham, Jeremy Deason, Kelly Culliton, David Dawkins, Kristin Greenwood, Matt Levin, Karin Maurer, Jason Rivers, and Deb Stockdale!! *Photo taken in 2019, pre-pandemic!*

COVID Update: October 23, 2020 Today, Glens Falls City School administrators were notified that an individual at Big Cross Street School tested positive for COVID-19. This individual has not been in the school building or on school grounds since Tuesday, Oct. 20th. As soon as we were notified of the positive case, the Superintendent was in direct contact with Warren County Public Health to begin contact tracing protocols. Because of the length of time the individual has not b...een in the building, WCPH has determined that no additional contact tracing is necessary in this case, and that there is a very low likelihood of transmission to school contacts of this individual. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and other privacy laws restrict district officials from disclosing or confirming any personally identifiable information. Therefore, we cannot identify by name anyone who has tested positive. The individual who tested positive is in isolation for at least 10 days and will not return to the school environment until cleared by Warren County Public Health. The health, safety, and well-being of our school community remains our main focus. We are following protocols aligned with expert health guidance to ensure we are doing everything we can to protect the health of our school community. We also want to take this opportunity to remind everyone of the importance of wearing masks, staying six feet apart from others, and regularly washing your hands. Please continue to conduct at-home screenings and maintain personal awareness of COVID symptoms for your children. This notification to parents and our community at large is part of our commitment to keep you informed during these uncertain times. Currently, our school buildings remain open for in-person instruction. We will continue to work closely with our local Department of Health and we will follow their guidance on how to maintain a safe and healthy learning environment. Visit our website if you would like more information about our health and safety procedures.

#GFNation wore orange for Unity Day today, standing together for kindness, acceptance, and inclusion.