COVID 19 LATEST NEWS, UPDATES AND RESOURCES

2021-2022 Opening Plan

March 2, 2022

Exposed/Potentially Exposed to COVID Information

March 1, 2022

Mask Optional Updates Letter

NYSDOH Guidance - Mask optional

NYSDOH FAQ Mask Optional for Schools

February 26, 2022

Letter Sent to NYS Officials

February 9, 2022

Letter Sent to NYS Officials

Governor announces that masks still required in schools, will be reevaluated in early March (February 9, 2022)

Governor Hochul announced that the state’s indoor mask mandate for businesses would end but would continue in certain settings, including schools. The state will assess the mask protocols in schools in early March, based on the latest metrics.

February 4, 2022: NYSDOH releases isolation and quarantine update

The State Health Department released Revised Updated Testing and Quarantine Supplemental Information to the Interim NYSDOH Guidance for Classroom Instruction in P-12 Schools During the 2021-2022 Academic Year. This includes: 1) revised updated isolation and quarantine guidance, 2) updated isolation and quarantine charts and 3) a memo on Test to Stay (TTS).

January 21, 2022

The New York State Department of Health recently updated its guidance on COVID isolation and quarantine, which formally ends its contact tracing requirements. While the new guidance (and a January 18th memo from the New York State Education Department) states that schools are no longer required to do contact tracing, we will continue to do a modified version of contact tracing of any positive cases within our buildings. If you are notified by school personnel that your child is a close contact, you must follow the guidance from the State Department of Health found here. The state also provided a quarantine and isolation chart, which can be viewed here.
Please note that you will no longer receive a phone call or quarantine/isolation affirmation or release forms from the county health department. Individuals are now expected to complete these on their own at the conclusion of their isolation or quarantine period. These forms can be found here –
quarantineisolation. Additional information on New York State’s approach to isolation and quarantine can be found online at https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/new-york-state-contact-tracing.

Updated Isolation and Quarantine Protocols for C-A effective 1/10/2022

NYSDOH UPDATED Guidance 1/4/2022

Consent for Vaccination- NYSDOH Form

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2021-2022 Opening Plan

Changes and addendums to the plan will be posted below as individual protocols

2021-2022 PUBLIC PROTOCOLS

2021-2022 REOPENING RESOURCES

2021-2022 SCHOOL PROTOCOLS

April 9, 2021

Here are updated guidance from NYSDOH

February 2, 2021

The New York State Department of Health released a new toolkit to help parents and employees determine when to report to school and when to stay home. The primary change is a 10-day quarantine period. Click here to view the document. 

January 3, 2021

Dear Coxsackie-Athens School Community,

As planned we will resume our regular in-person sessions tomorrow January 4th, 2021. In order to make this decision we have been:

  • Monitoring the daily health screenings along with receiving daily reports from Greene County Public Health Department (GCPH). 

  • Comparing our current positive cases with our past trends prior to the holiday break.

  • Meeting over the break with GCPH representatives and regional superintendents as recently as this morning. 

While we understand the rationale for some schools switching to remote instruction, we feel that keeping our students learning in an in-person environment is very important and, as long as we can continue to provide in-person instruction in a safe manner with sufficient staff, we will make every effort to do so. As we return tomorrow our health and safety protocols will be reinforced and enforced. Your contributions to these efforts are critically important. These efforts include all students and employees continuing the daily health screening, temperature checks, mask wearing, social distancing and health hygiene.

The New York State Department of Health and public health experts have said that schools are among the safest places one can be during this pandemic. This is due to our strict health and safety guidelines and the low infection rates in schools. According to state data, private household gatherings are driving the spread of the virus (74%) and not elementary students (0.49%), high school students (0.46%) or middle school students (0.19%). 

These facts are supported in our own district. To date, there have been 15 positive cases of COVID-19 reported to the Coxsackie-Athens Central School District for students and staff. Based on contact tracing information available to the district to date, none of the reported positive cases occurred as a result of spread within our schools. Maintaining these statistics depends on everyone within our educational community adhering to NYS and CDC guidelines not only in school but outside of school as well. Our ability to have in-person learning to date is a reflection of the dedication of our staff who have been flexible, and responsive to student and colleague needs and who have placed the health and well-being of students and staff as priority number one. 

It appears that the public health experts were correct that there would be a surge of cases following the holidays. The district will continue to monitor the situation and adjust our learning model as needed. While we’ve made this determination at this point, everyone should realize and be prepared that as cases increase, our district may be forced to shift to remote instruction. All families need to be prepared for this change should it become necessary. To help us continue to prepare for this learning model we have scheduled remote only days over the next three months. They are listed at the end of this letter. 

We encourage our staff and parents to monitor for COVID-19 symptoms and in the event someone has symptoms, stay at home, contact your primary care provider and notify your school. Flowchart for determining whether or not to stay home

Completing accurately the daily health screening each morning is vital in keeping our schools safe. Reminder, if you traveled to a non-contiguous state you must follow the state guidelines. We appreciate the community’s support in keeping our schools safe. We strongly urge families and employees to limit social gatherings and to find ways to stay connected with family and friends virtually during this period of increased community spread.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your school principal or the district’s COVID-19 Coordinator, Ryan Naccarato at 518-731-1722 or [email protected]

Thank you all for your ongoing efforts to keep Coxsackie-Athens Schools safe and healthy.

Sincerely,

Randy Squier

Superintendent of Schools


We have scheduled remote only days in the upcoming weeks. The following dates are scheduled to be remote only days:

  • Friday 1/15

  • Friday 1/29

  • Friday 2/12

  • Thursday 3/11(parent conference in PM)

  • Tuesday 3/16 


  • December 26, 2020

    TRAVEL GUIDANCE: Please see the November 9th message below or click here for guidance on travel. 

     

  • December 22, 2020

    CLICK HERE TO REVIEW THE NYS COVID DASHBAORD

     

     

December 22,  2020

Dear Coxsackie-Athens School Community, 

I hope this letter finds each of you well.  I am writing this morning to bring to your attention an important matter regarding COVID-19 and its prevalence in our region.  Recently we have seen COVID-19 infection rates in Greene County and across the nation rise. It appears that the anticipated second wave is upon us. This has many concerned about what the coming weeks mean for holiday plans and the ability to keep schools and businesses open.  

Regardless where COVID-19 spread begins, its prevalence in the community has implications for school operations.  As per Governor Cuomo’s “Microcluster Initiative,” areas with higher levels of community spread may be designated as Yellow, Orange or Red zones.  In those zones, testing is required for schools to remain open for in-person instruction and certain restrictions are placed in the community to decrease interaction and slow the spread.  You can read more about the micro-cluster initiative here. 

While we have not been designated as a micro-cluster, we want to be proactive and that includes having a school based testing plan in place; which we do. One step in our plan is to have COVID testing consent forms completed by parents prior to a designation. 

You will be receiving a digital consent form in the same manner you receive the daily health screening. We ask that you fill the consent form out prior to January 1, 2021. The testing consent form will be sent everyday until filled out. In order to help you make this decision for your student we have created this short informational video. 

I am proud of our collective efforts to keep our schools safe. To date we have had 2 employees and 1 in-person student test positive. In order for us to maintain in-person learning for the 82% of students currently enrolled, we will continue to wear masks, wash our hands, and be physically distanced when possible. 

I wish you a safe and peaceful break.

Sincerely,

Randall Squier

Superintendent of School

  1. December 14, 2020

     Dear Parents/Guardians:

     Coxsackie-Athens Central Schools was informed today that a staff member at Coxsackie-Athens High School has tested positive for COVID-19. The last day they were on campus was Tuesday December 8th; a remote only day. 

     Per our health and safety protocols, Coxsackie-Athens Schools has been in communication with the Greene County Public Health Department to determine any necessary follow-up. At this time we have contacted all staff members and families whose students came in close contact with this positive case while on campus. The county is continuing to investigate and the district has and is following our contact tracing protocols.  

     We encourage you to offer your full cooperation if you are contacted by a representative of the local health department or the district. If you are not contacted there is no further action needed. While I understand that you may want additional details, privacy laws restrict us from disclosing or confirming any personally identifiable information. 

     We ask that all families continue to follow all safety guidelines outside of school hours including proper use of face coverings, social distancing, proper hand hygiene and avoiding gatherings and travel to states with high positivity rates. We also remind you to please complete the daily health screening form for your child prior to sending them to school. 

     Please monitor your child(ren) for any symptoms of COVID and report any absences and positive COVID-19 test results to your child’s school. Symptoms vary, and some people may not experience any symptoms. Please contact your healthcare provider (or the county health department if you do not have one) to be assessed if you or your child have one or more of these new or worsening symptoms:

     

    • a temperature greater or equal to 100.0° F

    • feel feverish or have chills

    • cough

    • loss of taste or smell

    • fatigue

    • sore throat

    • shortness of breath

    • nausea, vomiting, diarrhea

    • muscle pain or body aches

    • headaches or nasal congestion/running nose

     Thank you all for your ongoing efforts to keep Coxsackie-Athens Schools safe and healthy. Please contact Ryan Naccarato, district COVID-19  coordinator directly with any questions or concerns at 518-731-1722..  

    In person classes will continue as scheduled.

     

  2. December 11, 2020

     

    Dear Families:

    As COVID-19 cases rise across our region and state, I continue to meet with local superintendents and our county health department to discuss these developments and ways we can continue to keep our buildings safely open. 

    New York State has implemented a micro-cluster strategy to designate areas with high COVID-19 infection rates as Yellow, Orange, or Red zones, based on positivity rates and daily new cases. If a zip code, census tract or region is placed in one of those zones, there will be restrictions for schools. 

    While Coxsackie-Athens Schools is NOT currently in one of these zones, we are working with the county to be ready if any part of our community is labeled. Our district plans to remain open during Yellow, Orange, and Red zones if it can comply with the state’s testing requirements. 

    Today, the Governor announced changes to the zone designation metrics and indicated that the state would announce any new zones on Monday, based on weekend data. 

    • Yellow Zone is a geographic area (zip code, census tract, etc.) with a 3 percent positivity rate over the past 10 days AND the cluster is in top 10 percent for hospital admissions per capita over the past week and week-over-week growth in daily admissions. 

    • An Orange Zone is a geographic area (zip code, census tract, etc.) with 4 percent positivity rate over the past 10 days AND 85 percent hospital capacity OR the Department of Health determines unacceptably high rate of hospital admissions. 

    • Red Zone is a geographic area (zip code, census tract, etc.) that is 21 days from 90 percent hospital capacity. 

    Screening Tests

    In order for Coxsackie-Athens Schools to remain open while in a Yellow Zone, it must commit to conducting rapid screening tests on 20 percent of the in-person students and staff over a two-week period. Students and staff members will be randomly chosen from a pool of individuals who have given consent. If Coxsackie-Athens Schools enters an Orange Zone, we will need to continue to test new students and staff at a rate of 20 percent per month. If C-A enters a Red Zone, we will need to continue to test new students and staff at a rate of 30 percent per month. The school district is preparing plans to train our school nurses in the rapid-testing protocol. 

    Consent Form

    Just as we have asked for your continued assistance with following the new COVID-19 protocols, we would need your permission to administer tests to your children. We will send out a test consent form in the coming days. This only applies to in-person students. Students who are learning in a full virtual setting are not required to be tested.

    Testing

    The rapid test involves a non-invasive cotton swab swiping just inside the lowermost portion of the nostril. These are not the deep-sinus swab tests that are conducted at medical facilities. The test results are available within minutes. Individual test results will only be shared with families, the school nurse, and the local department of health. We will randomly choose students from a pool of individuals whose parents have consented to the test. If a student or staff member tests positive, they will be sent home and must stay at home until they are released by the county department of health. 

    Going Forward

    We will provide an update if the state designates any part of our community as a cluster zone, including sharing additional information on our testing plan. Please continue to complete our daily screening form prior to sending your child to school. 

    As always, thank you for all that you do to support our school district. We continue to be encouraged by our community’s resiliency amid adversity – and flexibility and patience throughout the pandemic. We will continue to put the health and safety of our students and staff at the forefront of every decision made.

    Sincerely,

    Randy Squier 

    Superintendent of Schools 

     

  3. December 4, 2020

    Here is the current guidance for schools Interim Guidance on COVID-19 Testing Requirements for Public and Non-Public Schools Located in Areas Designated as “Red” or “Orange” Cluster Zones.

     

  4. December 3, 2020

    Dear Coxsackie-Athens Schools Community:

    Coxsackie-Athens Central Schools was informed late last night that an employee in our middle/high school has tested positive for COVID-19 from an offsite exposure. The employee has not been in school since November 25, 2020. This situation has not created an exposure in the building. There is no new risk associated with this situation to other students or staff.

    Per our health and safety protocols, Coxsackie-Athens Schools has been in communication with the Greene County Public Health Department to determine any necessary follow-up. The county has determined there is none. 

    While I understand that you may want additional details, privacy laws restrict us from disclosing or confirming any personally identifiable information. 

    We ask that all families continue to follow all safety guidelines outside of school hours including proper use of face coverings, social distancing, proper hand hygiene and avoiding gatherings and travel to states with high positivity rates. We also remind you to please complete the daily health screening form for your child prior to sending them to school. 

    Please monitor your child(ren) for any symptoms of COVID and report any absences and positive COVID-19 test results to your child’s school. Symptoms vary, and some people may not experience any symptoms. Please contact your healthcare provider (or the county health department if you do not have one) to be assessed if you or your child have one or more of these new or worsening symptoms:

    • a temperature greater or equal to 100.0° F

    • feel feverish or have chills

    • cough

    • loss of taste or smell

    • fatigue

    • sore throat

    • shortness of breath

    • nausea, vomiting, diarrhea

    • muscle pain or body aches

    • headaches or nasal congestion/running nose

     

    We encourage you to offer your full cooperation if, in the future, you are contacted by a representative of the local health department or the district. 

    Thank you all for your ongoing efforts to keep Coxsackie-Athens Schools safe and healthy. Please contact Ryan Naccarato, district COVID-19 coordinator directly with any questions or concerns at 518-731-1722 or [email protected] . 

    Sincerely,

    Randy Squier

    Superintendent of Schools

     

  5. November 20, 2020

    Dear Coxsackie-Athens Schools Community:

    Coxsackie-Athens Central Schools was informed today that two middle school students living in the same household have tested positive for COVID-19 from an offsite exposure. The students have not been in school since November 10, 2020. This situation has not created an exposure in the building. There is no new risk associated with this situation to other students or staff.

    Per our health and safety protocols, Coxsackie-Athens Schools has been in communication with the Greene County Public Health Department to determine any necessary follow-up. The county is continuing to investigate at this time. 

    We encourage you to offer your full cooperation if you are contacted by a representative of the local health department or the district. If you are not contacted there is no further action needed. While I understand that you may want additional details, privacy laws restrict us from disclosing or confirming any personally identifiable information. 

    We ask that all families continue to follow all safety guidelines outside of school hours including proper use of face coverings, social distancing, proper hand hygiene and avoiding gatherings and travel to states with high positivity rates. We also remind you to please complete the daily health screening form for your child prior to sending them to school. 

    Please monitor your child(ren) for any symptoms of COVID and report any absences and positive COVID-19 test results to your child’s school. Symptoms vary, and some people may not experience any symptoms. Please contact your healthcare provider (or the county health department if you do not have one) to be assessed if you or your child have one or more of these new or worsening symptoms:

    • a temperature greater or equal to 100.0° F

    • feel feverish or have chills

    • cough

    • loss of taste or smell

    • fatigue

    • sore throat

    • shortness of breath

    • nausea, vomiting, diarrhea

    • muscle pain or body aches

    • headaches or nasal congestion/running nose

    Thank you all for your ongoing efforts to keep Coxsackie-Athens Schools safe and healthy. Please contact Ryan Naccarato, district COVID-19 coordinator directly with any questions or concerns at 518-731-1722 or 518-731-1862. 

    Sincerely,

    Randy Squier

    Superintendent of Schools

     

  6. November 20, 2020

    Dear Parents/Guardians:

    We take this opportunity to thank you for all you have done to date to stay safe and keep your children and families safe. Your hard work in keeping everyone healthy and safe have allowed us to keep schools open for in-person instruction. 

    We are now entering an uncertain time as the COVID-19 pandemic spreads across our country and state. Cases, hospitalizations, and deaths are accelerating across the country, as more governors and local officials announce new measures to try to combat the spread of COVID-19. Locally, the eight counties that make up the Capital Region reported 271 new infections on November 16, which is the highest total of the pandemic. 

    I meet with superintendents in Rensselaer, Columbia, and Greene counties twice a week and with our county health departments weekly to discuss Covid-19 related developments and ways we can continue to keep our buildings safely open for students and staff. In working with the local health department, it is concerning to hear of the ways COVID-19 is spreading. This includes parties (i.e., Halloween, birthday, gender reveal, baby showers), family gatherings with members from outside the household, social gatherings with friends, and interstate competitions.

    We also learned that some individuals are not being fully cooperative or truthful when contacted by the county. This is a good time to remind everyone that we ask you to offer your full cooperation if you are contacted by a representative of the local health department or the school district. Your cooperation and transparency will help expedite the process to identify those who must quarantine or be tested as well as our efforts to communicate with impacted families and the larger community. 

    If you or someone in your family is directed to quarantine, please respect what you are being asked to do in the interest of public health. Quarantine is used to keep someone who might have been exposed to COVID-19 away from others to stop the spread. People in quarantine need to stay home, separate themselves from others in the home, monitor their health, and follow directions from the local health department. 

    Please continue to follow all safety guidelines outside of school hours including proper use of face coverings, social distancing, handwashing, avoiding gatherings and travel to states with high positivity rates, and keeping your child home if they are sick. We also remind you to complete the daily health screening form for your child prior to sending them to school. 

    As we look ahead to the Thanksgiving break, we also ask for your help in making sure everyone celebrates and observes this year’s activities in a way that puts health and safety first. According to the CDC, the safest way to celebrate this year is to celebrate with people in your household. Please consider virtual gatherings or other activities that reduce your and your child’s risk of getting the virus. Traveling, sharing food, and attending indoor gatherings outside your household increases your risk – and the risk of spreading COVID-19 within our schools. 

    We will be required to test students and staff to keep schools open if the virus continues to spread in our region and we are identified by the state as a yellow, orange or red micro-cluster. While we are prepared for the possibility of a shift to remote learning in the future, we ask for your continued partnership so that we can remain open for in-person instruction. Ultimately, how well we continue to follow the COVID-19 protocols individually and collectively will determine whether we can continue to keep our school buildings open. 

    Finally, while the initial reports on two vaccines look promising, they may not be available to us until later this spring. As a result, we need to prepare ourselves mentally for a long winter ahead. This includes staying informed, being prepared if more restrictions are implemented, living like you are already contagious, shrinking our social bubbles, connecting with others virtually and keeping our guards up. 

    We know that you have made many sacrifices the past eight months and for that we thank you. We ask that you please do your part to continue to contain this virus so that we can keep our schools open. These vaccines offer great hope – we just need to remain vigilant in controlling the spread of COVID-19 until they are available.

    Thank you for your cooperation, support, and patience.

    Wishing you and your family a safe holiday season.

    Randy Squier

    Superintendent of Schools

     

  7. November 15, 2020

    Dear C-A School Community:

    Coxsackie-Athens Central Schools was informed that an employee at the middle school has tested NEGATIVE for COVID-19 but remains a person under investigation (PUI). PUI is a person that has met specific criteria set by the CDC and is being monitored for the disease.   

    Per our various health and safety protocols, Coxsackie-Athens Schools has been in communication with the Greene County Public Health Department to determine any necessary follow-up. The county is continuing to monitor at this time. Though not required by DOH guidance, the district conducted an initial contact tracing protocol and found that no staff or students had extended direct contact with the PUI whose last day on campus was November 10, 2020.  

    This is a good time to remind everyone that we encourage you to offer your full cooperation if in the future you are contacted by a representative of the local health department or the district. If you are not contacted there is no further action needed. While I understand that you may want additional details, privacy laws restrict us from disclosing or confirming any personally identifiable information. 

    We ask that all families continue to follow all safety guidelines outside of school hours including proper use of face coverings, social distancing, proper hand hygiene, avoiding gatherings, and travel to states with high positivity rates. We also remind you to please complete the daily health screening form for your child prior to sending them to school. 

    Please monitor your child(ren) for any symptoms of COVID and report any absences and positive COVID-19 test results to your child’s school. Symptoms vary, and some people may not experience any symptoms. Please contact your healthcare provider (or the county health department if you do not have one) to be assessed if you or your child have one or more of these new or worsening symptoms: 

    • a temperature greater or equal to 100.0° F

    • feel feverish or have chills

    • cough

    • loss of taste or smell

    • fatigue

    • sore throat

    • shortness of breath

    • nausea, vomiting, diarrhea

    • muscle pain or body aches

    • headaches or nasal congestion/running nose

    Thank you all for your ongoing efforts to keep our schools safe and healthy. Please contact Ryan Naccarato, district COVID-19  coordinator directly with any questions or concerns at 518-731-1722 or [email protected]   


    All schools and classes will follow their normal schedules tomorrow.

    Sincerely,

    Randy Squier

    Superintendent of Schools

Letter COVID Update

 

  1. November 9, 2020

     

    Dear Parents/Guardians, 

    As we get closer to the holidays months I wanted to provide some guidance on issues related to the New York State Travel Advisory. On Saturday, October 31, 2020, Governor Cuomo revised the State’s position on out-of-state travel and quarantine. See Governor Cuomo's New Travel Advisory. 

    There is a new option available for travelers to test-out of the mandatory 14-day quarantine requirement for traveling to a restricted state, and the option went into effect on November 4, 2020 and is as follows: 

    • For travelers (including NYS residents) who were in a non-contiguous state to NYS for more than 24 hours: 

    • Travelers must obtain a negative COVID test within three days of departure from that state. 

    • Upon arrival in New York, the traveler must quarantine for a minimum of three days.

    • On their fourth day of quarantine in NYS, the traveler must obtain another COVID test. Upon receipt of a negative test, the traveler may exit quarantine early and return to work. 

    • For travelers (including NYS residents) who were in a non-contiguous state to NYS for less than 24 hours: 

    • The traveler does not need a COVID test prior to their departure from the other state, and does not need to quarantine upon arrival in New York State. 

    • The traveler must fill out the traveler information form upon entry into New York State, and take a COVID diagnostic test on day four after their arrival in New York. 

    • Travel in contiguous states is exempted from the travel restrictions above (Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.) 

    • International travel to a CDC designated level 2 or 3 destination still requires a full 14-day quarantine upon arrival back into NYS. 

    The travel guidelines require all New Yorkers, as well as those visiting from out of state, to take personal responsibility for compliance in the interest of public health and safety. Our daily screening question regarding travel will be changed to comply with this new guidance. In addition to following the guidance outlined by NYS, the District is also asking that parents do the following: 

    • Students/families who travel outside of New York State should disclose this information to the school their child attends. Students will not be permitted to return to school until they comply with either a 14-day quarantine or successfully navigate the “test-out” option as outlined above. This is in accordance with Governor Cuomo’s COVID-19 Travel Advisory issued on October 31st. This includes travel by plane or by ground transportation. 

    Thank you in advance for your assistance in keeping everyone safe and healthy. If you have any questions, please contact me or Ryan Naccarato, COVID coordinator for the District, or your building principal. 

     

    Sincerely, 

    Randy Squier 

    Superintendent of Schools

     

  2. October 30, 2020

    The purpose of this questionnaire is to provide parents/guardians with an opportunity to change the instructional model for their student(s) during the second trimester of the 2020-2021 school year. The 2nd trimester runs from November 30 to March 5. If you plan  to change the learning location for multiple students you MUST complete this form for each student. 

    The form only needs to be completed for students who will be CHANGING learning locations for the second trimester. 

    The district will continue to offer parents two options. You may elect to have your student attend school in-person everyday or keep your student home everyday for remote instruction. 

    • Students in 5th grade and grades 8-12 who switch from either in-person to remote or vice versa will be following a similar schedule they have been following since the opening of school. 

    • Students in grades 6 & 7 who switch from remote to in-person will have the same daily schedule. If a student in grades 6 or 7 moves from in-person to remote they may have a different schedule, but will have the same courses. 

    • Students in grades K-4 who switch to in-person learning will be assigned to an appropriate classroom. 

    • Students in grades K-4 who remain or switch to remote learning will have a full day’s schedule that will include both synchronous(live) and asynchronous learning each day. Students will be working from 9-3:35 but will not be expected to be on a continuous Meet with teachers.  There will be Meets for whole class instruction and small group instruction in the mornings and afternoons.  When students are not in Meets, they will be working on independent work and attending their scheduled specials class. There is an expectation that the adult supervising the student at home will ensure that all independent work is completed and submitted. 

    This form can only be filled out by a Coxsackie-Athens student's parent/guardian. Students cannot complete this form. Please submit this form by Thursday November 5th ONLY if you wish to switch the learning location of your student(s). If you have specific questions, please contact your student's principal.

    Again, if you have multiple children you MUST complete this form for each child. Thank you. 

    Complete ONLY if switching learning locations.

    Finally, thank you for your continued support with the safety protocols, both in and outside of school. We are so proud of our students, staff and families’ continuing cooperation and the sacrifices you have made.

     

  3. October 1, 2020

    Prek to Grade 12 Toolkit for Parents and Schools

     

  4. September 16, 2020

    REMOTE LEARNING DAY

    Learning begins at 9AM for all students:

    Grades K-4

    1. Daily synchronous learning schedule. 9AM-NOON

      1. Daily Responsive Classroom activities.

      2. ELA, math and social studies and science learning blocks

      3. Daily attendance recorded

    2. Lessons recorded or pre-recorded and accessible for later review.

    3. Afternoon independent and guided learning for exploratory subjects with remote teacher support.

    4. Daily teacher office hours will be provided

    5. Special education and intervention services will be provided during the entire day to meet IEP expectations. 

    6. It is understood that if we are allowed to have limited numbers of students and staff present that priority will be given for our most academically vulnerable students to attend in-person everyday. 

    7. If permitted, teachers will work from school.

    8. For elementary school students who are remote during in-person sessions

      1. AM Session:  9:00-11:40 and PM Session: 12:55-3:35pm

     

    Grades 5-12

    1. Daily condensed synchronous learning schedule. See end of document for daily schedule.

      1. Start time is 9am

      2. Daily attendance recorded

      3. Interactive lessons will occur

    2. Lessons recorded or pre-recorded and accessible for later review.

    3. Daily Responsive Classroom activities for grades 5-6

    4. Daily teacher office hours will be provided.

    5. Restorative practices will be integrated in grades 7-12. 

    6. Special education and intervention services will be provided during the entire day to meet IEP expectations. 

    7. Teachers will be available for office hours and provide extra help in the afternoon.

    8. It is understood that if we are allowed to have limited numbers of students and staff present that priority will be given for our most academically vulnerable students to attend in-person everyday. 

    9. If permitted teachers will work from school. 

Secondary Full Remote Learning Schedule

2020-2021

Time

Notes

7:50-8:20

Grade-level/Dept. PLP

8:20:-9:00

Planning/Professional Responsibility

9:00-9:40

Block 1

synchronous

9:45-10:25

Block 2

synchronous

10:30-11:10

Block 3

synchronous

11:15-11:55

Block 4

synchronous

12:00 - 12:30

Lunch

12:30-1:00

Block 1 Assistance

synchronous

1:00-1:30

Block 2 Assistance

synchronous

1:30-2:00

Block 3 Assistance

synchronous

2:00-2:30

Block 4 Assistance

synchronous

2:30-3:30

Office Hours

  1. September 13, 2020

    The CDC issued a new guidance summary sheet in regards to masks to help schools.

     

  2. September 12, 2020

    The district has implemented a DAILY health screening tool that must be completed for each student and employee each day they are present on our campuses. The screening survey is sent via email each early morning. We are working to have this be sent via text as well as have a generic link on our website. We will keep families and employees updated on these new features if they become reality. 

     

  3. September 12, 2020

    The NYSPHSAA has approved some fall sports beginning September 21. The exceptions are football and girls volleyball which will play beginning March 1st. Students may play a sport in fall season 1 and fall season 2. 

     

  4. AUGUST 30, 2020

    CLICK HERE TO ACCESS SPECIFIC PROTOCOLS

    Specific Protocols are listed below. This is a live document and will be updated regularly. 

    1. HAND HYGIENE

    2. ARRIVAL AND DISMISSAL

    3. HEALTH OFFICE

    4. TESTING AND SCREENING

    5. COMMUNICATING POSITIVE COVID TESTS RESULTS

    6. PHYSICAL DISTANCING

    7. REMOTE LEARNING

    8. MASKS

    9. REMOTE LEARNING TECH SUPPORT

    10. CONTACT TRACING

    11. ELECTRONIC DELIVERY OF INSTRUCTION

    12. CHILD NUTRITION

    13. DAILY CLEANING AND DISINFECTING OF ROOMS AND BUILDINGS

    14. CLEANING AND DISINFECTING DESKS BETWEEN CLASSES   

    15. PAPER EXCHANGE

    16. TEACHER ABSENCES 

    17. VISITORS

     

     

  5. August 17 2020,

    Presentation Slides from 8/17/2020

    Presentation Slides from 8/13/2020

     

  6. August 14, 2020

    Community presentations hosted on 8/13/2020

    Video for presentation elementary

    Video for presentation middle

    Video for presentation high school

     

VIEWS OF ROOMS

LATEST NEWS AND UPDATES

April 9, 2021

Here are updated guidance from NYSDOH

February 2, 2021

The New York State Department of Health released a new toolkit to help parents and employees determine when to report to school and when to stay home. The primary change is a 10-day quarantine period. Click here to view the document. 

January 3, 2021

Dear Coxsackie-Athens School Community,

As planned we will resume our regular in-person sessions tomorrow January 4th, 2021. In order to make this decision we have been:

  • Monitoring the daily health screenings along with receiving daily reports from Greene County Public Health Department (GCPH). 

  • Comparing our current positive cases with our past trends prior to the holiday break.

  • Meeting over the break with GCPH representatives and regional superintendents as recently as this morning. 

While we understand the rationale for some schools switching to remote instruction, we feel that keeping our students learning in an in-person environment is very important and, as long as we can continue to provide in-person instruction in a safe manner with sufficient staff, we will make every effort to do so. As we return tomorrow our health and safety protocols will be reinforced and enforced. Your contributions to these efforts are critically important. These efforts include all students and employees continuing the daily health screening, temperature checks, mask wearing, social distancing and health hygiene.

The New York State Department of Health and public health experts have said that schools are among the safest places one can be during this pandemic. This is due to our strict health and safety guidelines and the low infection rates in schools. According to state data, private household gatherings are driving the spread of the virus (74%) and not elementary students (0.49%), high school students (0.46%) or middle school students (0.19%). 

These facts are supported in our own district. To date, there have been 15 positive cases of COVID-19 reported to the Coxsackie-Athens Central School District for students and staff. Based on contact tracing information available to the district to date, none of the reported positive cases occurred as a result of spread within our schools. Maintaining these statistics depends on everyone within our educational community adhering to NYS and CDC guidelines not only in school but outside of school as well. Our ability to have in-person learning to date is a reflection of the dedication of our staff who have been flexible, and responsive to student and colleague needs and who have placed the health and well-being of students and staff as priority number one. 

It appears that the public health experts were correct that there would be a surge of cases following the holidays. The district will continue to monitor the situation and adjust our learning model as needed. While we’ve made this determination at this point, everyone should realize and be prepared that as cases increase, our district may be forced to shift to remote instruction. All families need to be prepared for this change should it become necessary. To help us continue to prepare for this learning model we have scheduled remote only days over the next three months. They are listed at the end of this letter. 

We encourage our staff and parents to monitor for COVID-19 symptoms and in the event someone has symptoms, stay at home, contact your primary care provider and notify your school. Flowchart for determining whether or not to stay home

Completing accurately the daily health screening each morning is vital in keeping our schools safe. Reminder, if you traveled to a non-contiguous state you must follow the state guidelines. We appreciate the community’s support in keeping our schools safe. We strongly urge families and employees to limit social gatherings and to find ways to stay connected with family and friends virtually during this period of increased community spread.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your school principal or the district’s COVID-19 Coordinator, Ryan Naccarato at 518-731-1722 or [email protected]

Thank you all for your ongoing efforts to keep Coxsackie-Athens Schools safe and healthy.

Sincerely,

Randy Squier

Superintendent of Schools


We have scheduled remote only days in the upcoming weeks. The following dates are scheduled to be remote only days:

  • Friday 1/15

  • Friday 1/29

  • Friday 2/12

  • Thursday 3/11(parent conference in PM)

  • Tuesday 3/16 


  • December 26, 2020

    TRAVEL GUIDANCE: Please see the November 9th message below or click here for guidance on travel. 

     

  • December 22, 2020

    CLICK HERE TO REVIEW THE NYS COVID DASHBAORD

     

     

December 22,  2020

Dear Coxsackie-Athens School Community, 

I hope this letter finds each of you well.  I am writing this morning to bring to your attention an important matter regarding COVID-19 and its prevalence in our region.  Recently we have seen COVID-19 infection rates in Greene County and across the nation rise. It appears that the anticipated second wave is upon us. This has many concerned about what the coming weeks mean for holiday plans and the ability to keep schools and businesses open.  

Regardless where COVID-19 spread begins, its prevalence in the community has implications for school operations.  As per Governor Cuomo’s “Microcluster Initiative,” areas with higher levels of community spread may be designated as Yellow, Orange or Red zones.  In those zones, testing is required for schools to remain open for in-person instruction and certain restrictions are placed in the community to decrease interaction and slow the spread.  You can read more about the micro-cluster initiative here. 

While we have not been designated as a micro-cluster, we want to be proactive and that includes having a school based testing plan in place; which we do. One step in our plan is to have COVID testing consent forms completed by parents prior to a designation. 

You will be receiving a digital consent form in the same manner you receive the daily health screening. We ask that you fill the consent form out prior to January 1, 2021. The testing consent form will be sent everyday until filled out. In order to help you make this decision for your student we have created this short informational video. 

I am proud of our collective efforts to keep our schools safe. To date we have had 2 employees and 1 in-person student test positive. In order for us to maintain in-person learning for the 82% of students currently enrolled, we will continue to wear masks, wash our hands, and be physically distanced when possible. 

I wish you a safe and peaceful break.

Sincerely,

Randall Squier

Superintendent of School

  1. December 14, 2020

     Dear Parents/Guardians:

     Coxsackie-Athens Central Schools was informed today that a staff member at Coxsackie-Athens High School has tested positive for COVID-19. The last day they were on campus was Tuesday December 8th; a remote only day. 

     Per our health and safety protocols, Coxsackie-Athens Schools has been in communication with the Greene County Public Health Department to determine any necessary follow-up. At this time we have contacted all staff members and families whose students came in close contact with this positive case while on campus. The county is continuing to investigate and the district has and is following our contact tracing protocols.  

     We encourage you to offer your full cooperation if you are contacted by a representative of the local health department or the district. If you are not contacted there is no further action needed. While I understand that you may want additional details, privacy laws restrict us from disclosing or confirming any personally identifiable information. 

     We ask that all families continue to follow all safety guidelines outside of school hours including proper use of face coverings, social distancing, proper hand hygiene and avoiding gatherings and travel to states with high positivity rates. We also remind you to please complete the daily health screening form for your child prior to sending them to school. 

     Please monitor your child(ren) for any symptoms of COVID and report any absences and positive COVID-19 test results to your child’s school. Symptoms vary, and some people may not experience any symptoms. Please contact your healthcare provider (or the county health department if you do not have one) to be assessed if you or your child have one or more of these new or worsening symptoms:

     

    • a temperature greater or equal to 100.0° F

    • feel feverish or have chills

    • cough

    • loss of taste or smell

    • fatigue

    • sore throat

    • shortness of breath

    • nausea, vomiting, diarrhea

    • muscle pain or body aches

    • headaches or nasal congestion/running nose

     Thank you all for your ongoing efforts to keep Coxsackie-Athens Schools safe and healthy. Please contact Ryan Naccarato, district COVID-19  coordinator directly with any questions or concerns at 518-731-1722..  

    In person classes will continue as scheduled.

     

  2. December 11, 2020

     

    Dear Families:

    As COVID-19 cases rise across our region and state, I continue to meet with local superintendents and our county health department to discuss these developments and ways we can continue to keep our buildings safely open. 

    New York State has implemented a micro-cluster strategy to designate areas with high COVID-19 infection rates as Yellow, Orange, or Red zones, based on positivity rates and daily new cases. If a zip code, census tract or region is placed in one of those zones, there will be restrictions for schools. 

    While Coxsackie-Athens Schools is NOT currently in one of these zones, we are working with the county to be ready if any part of our community is labeled. Our district plans to remain open during Yellow, Orange, and Red zones if it can comply with the state’s testing requirements. 

    Today, the Governor announced changes to the zone designation metrics and indicated that the state would announce any new zones on Monday, based on weekend data. 

    • Yellow Zone is a geographic area (zip code, census tract, etc.) with a 3 percent positivity rate over the past 10 days AND the cluster is in top 10 percent for hospital admissions per capita over the past week and week-over-week growth in daily admissions. 

    • An Orange Zone is a geographic area (zip code, census tract, etc.) with 4 percent positivity rate over the past 10 days AND 85 percent hospital capacity OR the Department of Health determines unacceptably high rate of hospital admissions. 

    • Red Zone is a geographic area (zip code, census tract, etc.) that is 21 days from 90 percent hospital capacity. 

    Screening Tests

    In order for Coxsackie-Athens Schools to remain open while in a Yellow Zone, it must commit to conducting rapid screening tests on 20 percent of the in-person students and staff over a two-week period. Students and staff members will be randomly chosen from a pool of individuals who have given consent. If Coxsackie-Athens Schools enters an Orange Zone, we will need to continue to test new students and staff at a rate of 20 percent per month. If C-A enters a Red Zone, we will need to continue to test new students and staff at a rate of 30 percent per month. The school district is preparing plans to train our school nurses in the rapid-testing protocol. 

    Consent Form

    Just as we have asked for your continued assistance with following the new COVID-19 protocols, we would need your permission to administer tests to your children. We will send out a test consent form in the coming days. This only applies to in-person students. Students who are learning in a full virtual setting are not required to be tested.

    Testing

    The rapid test involves a non-invasive cotton swab swiping just inside the lowermost portion of the nostril. These are not the deep-sinus swab tests that are conducted at medical facilities. The test results are available within minutes. Individual test results will only be shared with families, the school nurse, and the local department of health. We will randomly choose students from a pool of individuals whose parents have consented to the test. If a student or staff member tests positive, they will be sent home and must stay at home until they are released by the county department of health. 

    Going Forward

    We will provide an update if the state designates any part of our community as a cluster zone, including sharing additional information on our testing plan. Please continue to complete our daily screening form prior to sending your child to school. 

    As always, thank you for all that you do to support our school district. We continue to be encouraged by our community’s resiliency amid adversity – and flexibility and patience throughout the pandemic. We will continue to put the health and safety of our students and staff at the forefront of every decision made.

    Sincerely,

    Randy Squier 

    Superintendent of Schools 

     

  3. December 4, 2020

    Here is the current guidance for schools Interim Guidance on COVID-19 Testing Requirements for Public and Non-Public Schools Located in Areas Designated as “Red” or “Orange” Cluster Zones.

     

  4. December 3, 2020

    Dear Coxsackie-Athens Schools Community:

    Coxsackie-Athens Central Schools was informed late last night that an employee in our middle/high school has tested positive for COVID-19 from an offsite exposure. The employee has not been in school since November 25, 2020. This situation has not created an exposure in the building. There is no new risk associated with this situation to other students or staff.

    Per our health and safety protocols, Coxsackie-Athens Schools has been in communication with the Greene County Public Health Department to determine any necessary follow-up. The county has determined there is none. 

    While I understand that you may want additional details, privacy laws restrict us from disclosing or confirming any personally identifiable information. 

    We ask that all families continue to follow all safety guidelines outside of school hours including proper use of face coverings, social distancing, proper hand hygiene and avoiding gatherings and travel to states with high positivity rates. We also remind you to please complete the daily health screening form for your child prior to sending them to school. 

    Please monitor your child(ren) for any symptoms of COVID and report any absences and positive COVID-19 test results to your child’s school. Symptoms vary, and some people may not experience any symptoms. Please contact your healthcare provider (or the county health department if you do not have one) to be assessed if you or your child have one or more of these new or worsening symptoms:

    • a temperature greater or equal to 100.0° F

    • feel feverish or have chills

    • cough

    • loss of taste or smell

    • fatigue

    • sore throat

    • shortness of breath

    • nausea, vomiting, diarrhea

    • muscle pain or body aches

    • headaches or nasal congestion/running nose

     

    We encourage you to offer your full cooperation if, in the future, you are contacted by a representative of the local health department or the district. 

    Thank you all for your ongoing efforts to keep Coxsackie-Athens Schools safe and healthy. Please contact Ryan Naccarato, district COVID-19 coordinator directly with any questions or concerns at 518-731-1722 or [email protected] . 

    Sincerely,

    Randy Squier

    Superintendent of Schools

     

  5. November 20, 2020

    Dear Coxsackie-Athens Schools Community:

    Coxsackie-Athens Central Schools was informed today that two middle school students living in the same household have tested positive for COVID-19 from an offsite exposure. The students have not been in school since November 10, 2020. This situation has not created an exposure in the building. There is no new risk associated with this situation to other students or staff.

    Per our health and safety protocols, Coxsackie-Athens Schools has been in communication with the Greene County Public Health Department to determine any necessary follow-up. The county is continuing to investigate at this time. 

    We encourage you to offer your full cooperation if you are contacted by a representative of the local health department or the district. If you are not contacted there is no further action needed. While I understand that you may want additional details, privacy laws restrict us from disclosing or confirming any personally identifiable information. 

    We ask that all families continue to follow all safety guidelines outside of school hours including proper use of face coverings, social distancing, proper hand hygiene and avoiding gatherings and travel to states with high positivity rates. We also remind you to please complete the daily health screening form for your child prior to sending them to school. 

    Please monitor your child(ren) for any symptoms of COVID and report any absences and positive COVID-19 test results to your child’s school. Symptoms vary, and some people may not experience any symptoms. Please contact your healthcare provider (or the county health department if you do not have one) to be assessed if you or your child have one or more of these new or worsening symptoms:

    • a temperature greater or equal to 100.0° F

    • feel feverish or have chills

    • cough

    • loss of taste or smell

    • fatigue

    • sore throat

    • shortness of breath

    • nausea, vomiting, diarrhea

    • muscle pain or body aches

    • headaches or nasal congestion/running nose

    Thank you all for your ongoing efforts to keep Coxsackie-Athens Schools safe and healthy. Please contact Ryan Naccarato, district COVID-19 coordinator directly with any questions or concerns at 518-731-1722 or 518-731-1862. 

    Sincerely,

    Randy Squier

    Superintendent of Schools

     

  6. November 20, 2020

    Dear Parents/Guardians:

    We take this opportunity to thank you for all you have done to date to stay safe and keep your children and families safe. Your hard work in keeping everyone healthy and safe have allowed us to keep schools open for in-person instruction. 

    We are now entering an uncertain time as the COVID-19 pandemic spreads across our country and state. Cases, hospitalizations, and deaths are accelerating across the country, as more governors and local officials announce new measures to try to combat the spread of COVID-19. Locally, the eight counties that make up the Capital Region reported 271 new infections on November 16, which is the highest total of the pandemic. 

    I meet with superintendents in Rensselaer, Columbia, and Greene counties twice a week and with our county health departments weekly to discuss Covid-19 related developments and ways we can continue to keep our buildings safely open for students and staff. In working with the local health department, it is concerning to hear of the ways COVID-19 is spreading. This includes parties (i.e., Halloween, birthday, gender reveal, baby showers), family gatherings with members from outside the household, social gatherings with friends, and interstate competitions.

    We also learned that some individuals are not being fully cooperative or truthful when contacted by the county. This is a good time to remind everyone that we ask you to offer your full cooperation if you are contacted by a representative of the local health department or the school district. Your cooperation and transparency will help expedite the process to identify those who must quarantine or be tested as well as our efforts to communicate with impacted families and the larger community. 

    If you or someone in your family is directed to quarantine, please respect what you are being asked to do in the interest of public health. Quarantine is used to keep someone who might have been exposed to COVID-19 away from others to stop the spread. People in quarantine need to stay home, separate themselves from others in the home, monitor their health, and follow directions from the local health department. 

    Please continue to follow all safety guidelines outside of school hours including proper use of face coverings, social distancing, handwashing, avoiding gatherings and travel to states with high positivity rates, and keeping your child home if they are sick. We also remind you to complete the daily health screening form for your child prior to sending them to school. 

    As we look ahead to the Thanksgiving break, we also ask for your help in making sure everyone celebrates and observes this year’s activities in a way that puts health and safety first. According to the CDC, the safest way to celebrate this year is to celebrate with people in your household. Please consider virtual gatherings or other activities that reduce your and your child’s risk of getting the virus. Traveling, sharing food, and attending indoor gatherings outside your household increases your risk – and the risk of spreading COVID-19 within our schools. 

    We will be required to test students and staff to keep schools open if the virus continues to spread in our region and we are identified by the state as a yellow, orange or red micro-cluster. While we are prepared for the possibility of a shift to remote learning in the future, we ask for your continued partnership so that we can remain open for in-person instruction. Ultimately, how well we continue to follow the COVID-19 protocols individually and collectively will determine whether we can continue to keep our school buildings open. 

    Finally, while the initial reports on two vaccines look promising, they may not be available to us until later this spring. As a result, we need to prepare ourselves mentally for a long winter ahead. This includes staying informed, being prepared if more restrictions are implemented, living like you are already contagious, shrinking our social bubbles, connecting with others virtually and keeping our guards up. 

    We know that you have made many sacrifices the past eight months and for that we thank you. We ask that you please do your part to continue to contain this virus so that we can keep our schools open. These vaccines offer great hope – we just need to remain vigilant in controlling the spread of COVID-19 until they are available.

    Thank you for your cooperation, support, and patience.

    Wishing you and your family a safe holiday season.

    Randy Squier

    Superintendent of Schools

     

  7. November 15, 2020

    Dear C-A School Community:

    Coxsackie-Athens Central Schools was informed that an employee at the middle school has tested NEGATIVE for COVID-19 but remains a person under investigation (PUI). PUI is a person that has met specific criteria set by the CDC and is being monitored for the disease.   

    Per our various health and safety protocols, Coxsackie-Athens Schools has been in communication with the Greene County Public Health Department to determine any necessary follow-up. The county is continuing to monitor at this time. Though not required by DOH guidance, the district conducted an initial contact tracing protocol and found that no staff or students had extended direct contact with the PUI whose last day on campus was November 10, 2020.  

    This is a good time to remind everyone that we encourage you to offer your full cooperation if in the future you are contacted by a representative of the local health department or the district. If you are not contacted there is no further action needed. While I understand that you may want additional details, privacy laws restrict us from disclosing or confirming any personally identifiable information. 

    We ask that all families continue to follow all safety guidelines outside of school hours including proper use of face coverings, social distancing, proper hand hygiene, avoiding gatherings, and travel to states with high positivity rates. We also remind you to please complete the daily health screening form for your child prior to sending them to school. 

    Please monitor your child(ren) for any symptoms of COVID and report any absences and positive COVID-19 test results to your child’s school. Symptoms vary, and some people may not experience any symptoms. Please contact your healthcare provider (or the county health department if you do not have one) to be assessed if you or your child have one or more of these new or worsening symptoms: 

    • a temperature greater or equal to 100.0° F

    • feel feverish or have chills

    • cough

    • loss of taste or smell

    • fatigue

    • sore throat

    • shortness of breath

    • nausea, vomiting, diarrhea

    • muscle pain or body aches

    • headaches or nasal congestion/running nose

    Thank you all for your ongoing efforts to keep our schools safe and healthy. Please contact Ryan Naccarato, district COVID-19  coordinator directly with any questions or concerns at 518-731-1722 or [email protected]   


    All schools and classes will follow their normal schedules tomorrow.

    Sincerely,

    Randy Squier

    Superintendent of Schools

Letter COVID Update

 

  1. November 9, 2020

     

    Dear Parents/Guardians, 

    As we get closer to the holidays months I wanted to provide some guidance on issues related to the New York State Travel Advisory. On Saturday, October 31, 2020, Governor Cuomo revised the State’s position on out-of-state travel and quarantine. See Governor Cuomo's New Travel Advisory. 

    There is a new option available for travelers to test-out of the mandatory 14-day quarantine requirement for traveling to a restricted state, and the option went into effect on November 4, 2020 and is as follows: 

    • For travelers (including NYS residents) who were in a non-contiguous state to NYS for more than 24 hours: 

    • Travelers must obtain a negative COVID test within three days of departure from that state. 

    • Upon arrival in New York, the traveler must quarantine for a minimum of three days.

    • On their fourth day of quarantine in NYS, the traveler must obtain another COVID test. Upon receipt of a negative test, the traveler may exit quarantine early and return to work. 

    • For travelers (including NYS residents) who were in a non-contiguous state to NYS for less than 24 hours: 

    • The traveler does not need a COVID test prior to their departure from the other state, and does not need to quarantine upon arrival in New York State. 

    • The traveler must fill out the traveler information form upon entry into New York State, and take a COVID diagnostic test on day four after their arrival in New York. 

    • Travel in contiguous states is exempted from the travel restrictions above (Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.) 

    • International travel to a CDC designated level 2 or 3 destination still requires a full 14-day quarantine upon arrival back into NYS. 

    The travel guidelines require all New Yorkers, as well as those visiting from out of state, to take personal responsibility for compliance in the interest of public health and safety. Our daily screening question regarding travel will be changed to comply with this new guidance. In addition to following the guidance outlined by NYS, the District is also asking that parents do the following: 

    • Students/families who travel outside of New York State should disclose this information to the school their child attends. Students will not be permitted to return to school until they comply with either a 14-day quarantine or successfully navigate the “test-out” option as outlined above. This is in accordance with Governor Cuomo’s COVID-19 Travel Advisory issued on October 31st. This includes travel by plane or by ground transportation. 

    Thank you in advance for your assistance in keeping everyone safe and healthy. If you have any questions, please contact me or Ryan Naccarato, COVID coordinator for the District, or your building principal. 

     

    Sincerely, 

    Randy Squier 

    Superintendent of Schools

     

  2. October 30, 2020

    The purpose of this questionnaire is to provide parents/guardians with an opportunity to change the instructional model for their student(s) during the second trimester of the 2020-2021 school year. The 2nd trimester runs from November 30 to March 5. If you plan  to change the learning location for multiple students you MUST complete this form for each student. 

    The form only needs to be completed for students who will be CHANGING learning locations for the second trimester. 

    The district will continue to offer parents two options. You may elect to have your student attend school in-person everyday or keep your student home everyday for remote instruction. 

    • Students in 5th grade and grades 8-12 who switch from either in-person to remote or vice versa will be following a similar schedule they have been following since the opening of school. 

    • Students in grades 6 & 7 who switch from remote to in-person will have the same daily schedule. If a student in grades 6 or 7 moves from in-person to remote they may have a different schedule, but will have the same courses. 

    • Students in grades K-4 who switch to in-person learning will be assigned to an appropriate classroom. 

    • Students in grades K-4 who remain or switch to remote learning will have a full day’s schedule that will include both synchronous(live) and asynchronous learning each day. Students will be working from 9-3:35 but will not be expected to be on a continuous Meet with teachers.  There will be Meets for whole class instruction and small group instruction in the mornings and afternoons.  When students are not in Meets, they will be working on independent work and attending their scheduled specials class. There is an expectation that the adult supervising the student at home will ensure that all independent work is completed and submitted. 

    This form can only be filled out by a Coxsackie-Athens student's parent/guardian. Students cannot complete this form. Please submit this form by Thursday November 5th ONLY if you wish to switch the learning location of your student(s). If you have specific questions, please contact your student's principal.

    Again, if you have multiple children you MUST complete this form for each child. Thank you. 

    Complete ONLY if switching learning locations.

    Finally, thank you for your continued support with the safety protocols, both in and outside of school. We are so proud of our students, staff and families’ continuing cooperation and the sacrifices you have made.

     

  3. October 1, 2020

    Prek to Grade 12 Toolkit for Parents and Schools

     

  4. September 16, 2020

    REMOTE LEARNING DAY

    Learning begins at 9AM for all students:

    Grades K-4

    1. Daily synchronous learning schedule. 9AM-NOON

      1. Daily Responsive Classroom activities.

      2. ELA, math and social studies and science learning blocks

      3. Daily attendance recorded

    2. Lessons recorded or pre-recorded and accessible for later review.

    3. Afternoon independent and guided learning for exploratory subjects with remote teacher support.

    4. Daily teacher office hours will be provided

    5. Special education and intervention services will be provided during the entire day to meet IEP expectations. 

    6. It is understood that if we are allowed to have limited numbers of students and staff present that priority will be given for our most academically vulnerable students to attend in-person everyday. 

    7. If permitted, teachers will work from school.

    8. For elementary school students who are remote during in-person sessions

      1. AM Session:  9:00-11:40 and PM Session: 12:55-3:35pm

     

    Grades 5-12

    1. Daily condensed synchronous learning schedule. See end of document for daily schedule.

      1. Start time is 9am

      2. Daily attendance recorded

      3. Interactive lessons will occur

    2. Lessons recorded or pre-recorded and accessible for later review.

    3. Daily Responsive Classroom activities for grades 5-6

    4. Daily teacher office hours will be provided.

    5. Restorative practices will be integrated in grades 7-12. 

    6. Special education and intervention services will be provided during the entire day to meet IEP expectations. 

    7. Teachers will be available for office hours and provide extra help in the afternoon.

    8. It is understood that if we are allowed to have limited numbers of students and staff present that priority will be given for our most academically vulnerable students to attend in-person everyday. 

    9. If permitted teachers will work from school. 

Secondary Full Remote Learning Schedule

2020-2021

Time

Notes

7:50-8:20

Grade-level/Dept. PLP

8:20:-9:00

Planning/Professional Responsibility

9:00-9:40

Block 1

synchronous

9:45-10:25

Block 2

synchronous

10:30-11:10

Block 3

synchronous

11:15-11:55

Block 4

synchronous

12:00 - 12:30

Lunch

12:30-1:00

Block 1 Assistance

synchronous

1:00-1:30

Block 2 Assistance

synchronous

1:30-2:00

Block 3 Assistance

synchronous

2:00-2:30

Block 4 Assistance

synchronous

2:30-3:30

Office Hours

  1. September 13, 2020

    The CDC issued a new guidance summary sheet in regards to masks to help schools.

     

  2. September 12, 2020

    The district has implemented a DAILY health screening tool that must be completed for each student and employee each day they are present on our campuses. The screening survey is sent via email each early morning. We are working to have this be sent via text as well as have a generic link on our website. We will keep families and employees updated on these new features if they become reality. 

     

  3. September 12, 2020

    The NYSPHSAA has approved some fall sports beginning September 21. The exceptions are football and girls volleyball which will play beginning March 1st. Students may play a sport in fall season 1 and fall season 2. 

     

  4. AUGUST 30, 2020

    CLICK HERE TO ACCESS SPECIFIC PROTOCOLS

    Specific Protocols are listed below. This is a live document and will be updated regularly. 

    1. HAND HYGIENE

    2. ARRIVAL AND DISMISSAL

    3. HEALTH OFFICE

    4. TESTING AND SCREENING

    5. COMMUNICATING POSITIVE COVID TESTS RESULTS

    6. PHYSICAL DISTANCING

    7. REMOTE LEARNING

    8. MASKS

    9. REMOTE LEARNING TECH SUPPORT

    10. CONTACT TRACING

    11. ELECTRONIC DELIVERY OF INSTRUCTION

    12. CHILD NUTRITION

    13. DAILY CLEANING AND DISINFECTING OF ROOMS AND BUILDINGS

    14. CLEANING AND DISINFECTING DESKS BETWEEN CLASSES   

    15. PAPER EXCHANGE

    16. TEACHER ABSENCES 

    17. VISITORS

     

     

  5. August 17 2020,

    Presentation Slides from 8/17/2020

    Presentation Slides from 8/13/2020

     

  6. August 14, 2020

    Community presentations hosted on 8/13/2020

    Video for presentation elementary

    Video for presentation middle

    Video for presentation high school

     

VIEWS OF ROOMS

1st grade room

1ST GRADE

3rd grade room

3RD GRADE

4th grade room

4TH GRADE

5th grade room

5TH GRADE

grade 7 8 room

8TH GRADE

grade 7 room view

7TH GRADE

HS room

HS room

HS science

HS SCEINCE

HS cafe

HS CAFE

CE cafe

CE CAFE

COMMUNITY VIRTUAL PRESENTATIONS

AUGUST 13, 2020

Below are supplemental guidance for families and employees. 

REMOTE LEARNING PROTOCOLS

TESTING PROTOCOLS

CONTACT TRACING PROTOCOLS

 

  • August 11, 2020

    Dear Parents,

    Coxsackie-Athens Schools intends to begin the 2020-21 school year with all students attending school in person every day. This decision was made after much deliberation and review of the most current guidance from many sources including but not limited to the CDC, DOH and NYSED. 

    Our first priority is and will be the health and safety of students and staff. We believe our transition plan to have all students present in our schools meets all requirements necessary for a safe learning experience. You can review the plan here as well as a FAQ. If after reviewing all our health and safety protocols you feel it best to keep your student home, you may do so and they will receive synchronous instruction during the school day. 

    Therefore parents will have two choices:

    1. Have your student attend school each day.

    2. Have them stay home and participate in remote learning following their daily schedule.

    In order for us to finalize schedules, bus routes and many other facets of our operations we need you to complete this survey by August 17, 2020. The survey will include questions regarding:

    1. Your intent to have your child in school or at home this fall. If you commit to keeping your child at home you do so until November 30th. This commitment will be until November 30th when parents will have an opportunity to change their student’s location for learning. Students who are home while school is in session will be expected to attend remotely and to participate in their scheduled classes.

    2. Your intent for your child to use school transportation. We will not be honoring daily requests for students to change buses. 

    3. Whether your internet access is sufficient to support your child’s remote learning.

    To help you feel confident in your decision we have scheduled five virtual school community conversations in the next week to answer questions about our transition to reopen plan. Dates, times and links can be found on our webpage at: https://www.cacsd.org/Page/2915  You are welcome to call or email me as well.

    As a parent of a current C-A student and two college students, I empathize with the decisions you must make. We will respect your decision and do everything we can to provide your child with a continuity of learning regardless of their physical location. If you have questions, please contact your child’s principal or myself.

    Sincerely,

    Randy Squier

    Superintendent of Schools  

     

  • August 11, 2020

    Click here to view our frequently asked questions document. This is a living document and will be updated regularly.

     

  • August 10, 2020

    Below are the dates, times and links for upcoming community conversations regardng our transition to reopen plan. These sessions will be recorded.

    UPCOMING VIRTUAL CONVERSATIONS

    The following dates and times the district will be hosting live interactive conversations regarding our reopening plans:

  • August 7, 2020

    Today, Governor Cuomo announced schools could reopen for in-person learning in September. As a result of this decision, the administration will proceed with finalizing our plans to put into operation our in-person model. This will be presented to the BOE on Monday and then shared with parents the following day.

     

  • CLICK HERE FOR PLAN

     

    August 1, 2020

     

    Dear C-A School Community,

    I know you are waiting to find out how learning will take place in our school community this fall. After weeks of conversations and designing potential scenarios our formal planning began on Monday, July 13, when Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that school districts in New York can follow plans to reopen for in-person schooling in September 2020 if COVID-19 infection rates stay at 5% or lower in a given region. While districts have been instructed to prioritize efforts to return all students to in-person instruction, the district is also planning for a hybrid model that combines in-person instruction and remote learning, as well as a full remote learning model. 

    I feel it is prudent to wait to announce the final decision on which model the district will implement until after the Governor announces on or before August 7th, 2020 what options schools may utilize. The district as required submitted our transition to reopening plan via a NYSED portal yesterday. This is a living document that will be modified as we progress through the year. You can review by clicking this link.

    Acknowledging the challenges that teachers, staff and students will encounter upon transitioning back to school, the district will shift additional professional learning days to the start of the school year to focus on training necessary to have a safe, productive start. Staff will report for professional learning days on September 2nd, 3rd, 8th and 9th. 

    Therefore, students in grades 1-12 will begin sessions Thursday September 10th. Students will be able to access their schedules in the eSD portal the week of August 24th. 

    We plan for kindergarten students to start September 21st to allow us time to screen each student and provide for a positive transition for our youngest learners.

    I ask for you to keep in mind that if an employee or student travels to states that are on the New York State restricted list then the 14-day quarantine period may apply before entering our schools.

    The first week of session will be utilized for student orientation. This time will allow students to meet with their teacher(s) and begin to establish the relationships necessary for a successful learning experience. As we enter the new year, teachers will be encouraged to spend time building relationships, supporting students with the transition back to school, and teaching social distancing etiquette as well as remote learning protocols at developmentally appropriate levels.

    We accept that we may have to transition between the three models of learning (remote, hybrid, in-person) during the school year. This is why we will continue to modify our plan and will seek input once we announce our decision in the next two weeks. 

    Sincerely,

    Randy Squier

    Superintendent of Schools

    Letter in PDF format

     

  • JULY 17, 2020

    With guidance released from the Department of Health and the NYS Education Department, we will begin the process of finalizing our plans for transitioning and reopening for the fall 2020. 

    Since the convening of four task forces in May and June the leadership team has been compiling the ideas from over 100 participants who took part in those conversations. Based on assumptions we would need to be prepared with three models of learning for the school year the team developed the early frameworks for in-school, remote, and if necessary, hybrid models of learning for 2020-21. 

    The guidance released this past week was aligned to our assumptions which allowed us to further the frameworks' details to a point that it is time for conversations from parents, students and staff.

    The week of July 20th we will hold three public virtual interactive conversations on three topics:

    1. Remote learning options

    2. In-school learning options

    3. Health, safety and operations

    These conversations will inform final development of our learning options. Prior to submittal to the state on July 31, we will present these final plans for feedback and questions. 

     

  • July 8, 2020

    We would like to provide our school community with an update on reopening in September. We have been planning for different scenarios (in-person, remote and hybrid) and procuring additional resources such as personal protective equipment, cleaning supplies and other health and safety items. 

    To date, we have not received final guidance on reopening from the state. Governor Cuomo indicated today that this guidance will be released on July 13. We also anticipate guidance from the State Education Department next week as well. Individual school district reopening plans will be due to the state by July 31 and the Governor will make a decision on reopening during the week of August 1-7. 

    There will be many complex and complicated questions to be answered for us to finalize a transition plan that ensures the safety of our students and staff. We ask for your patience as we work through this process. We will be engaging our school community via surveys and through our school transition and transformation task forces. You can learn more about the task force work so far by visiting our website at: https://www.cacsd.org/Page/2930

    Our priority will continue to be the health and safety of all students and staff and providing learning experiences that support our district mission and vision.

     

  • June 30,2020

    The taskforces met four times this past month and compiled many ideas and questions to answer. New York State has issued guidance for higher education. Guidance for K-12 schools is expected in mid-July. In the meantime, the adminisration is developing frameworks for the three scenarios. All information on reopening can be found at our transition and transformation webpage

     

  • June 17, 2020

    Dear Parents,

    I hope this note finds you and your family doing well. Our staff is actively preparing for the 2020-2021 school year. As a parent, I know that what we experienced at the end of this past school year was unprecedented and certainly not normal. While I am extremely proud of the work that staff and students did during remote learning this spring in a setting that was less than ideal. As we shift to preparing for the 2020-20201 school year, we are committed to creating a teaching and learning plan that follows the guidance of the Governor’s and state education department’s pending recommendations. 

    We do not know yet what the final guidance from New York State will be but we can surmise what it might be by reviewing reopening plans from other states and also the Department of Health’s guidance for summer school..  

    As I’m sure you know, many medical experts and health organizations are predicting a second wave of COVID-19 for the fall and then perhaps another wave in the winter. As a result, we must create a plan that provides flexibility to address the needs of our students and staff in an in-person and remote setting. In all likelihood, the school day and student experience will look different this upcoming year. Our top priority is ensuring a safe learning environment for everyone in our school community.

    There are three primary scenarios for this fall that we are taking into consideration:

    Scenario 1: Fully Restored. 

    The first scenario is a situation where we are Fully Restored, with increased safety precautions and no restrictions on in-person gatherings or other limitations. We view this as highly unlikely during the first semester of the school year. 

    Scenario 2: Remote Learning

    In this scenario, we are in a fully remote learning environment. For next school year the expectations will be that new content will be taught, students will be accountable for participating in their classes and they will be assessed on their proficiency of their knowledge and understanding of the content. More structure will be established for each week and within each day. We would be doing remote instruction in this scenario. Knowing that we may move between scenarios, we want to develop a plan for the fall that is flexible enough to seamlessly move between in-person and remote instruction in a consistent manner to support families and provide academic rigor and social-emotional support for students and staff. 


    Scenario 3: Hybrid 

    In this scenario, schools would be open and we would follow the guidance of the New York State Education Department(NYSED), with our students potentially participating in a blended or hybrid type schedule with half or a quarter of the students physically in the building at a given time, potentially on certain days of a week, to ensure appropriate physical distancing and the implementation of enhanced safety protocols. We have not received specific guidance about opening in the fall from NYSED yet, but we will follow recommendations from the CDC and NYS Department of Health (DOH) to inform our reopening plans. 

    Several of our goals in planning for Scenario 3 are to ensure appropriate physical distancing and safety precautions for all students; to have a set schedule and expectations for students and staff each week; to allow for students to participate in-person or remotely if needed; and allow for a seamless transition to fully remote learning in the event we are not allowed to have in-person instruction come September or at any point during the school year.

    The logistics of redesigning the school experience for the fall to ensure the health and safety of our students and staff is complex - ranging from transportation and classroom design to meals and teaching pedagogy. For the past month we have held virtual meetings with four task forces made up of parents and staff to provide us some direction as we begin to finalize our plans. You can access the notes from our conversations as well as other planning resources and guidance documents here: https://www.cacsd.org/Page/2930 We do plan on reaching out to parents and students one more time to gather additional information that will inform our decision making. That will occur in late June or very early July. 

    We want to ensure we have a strong start to the school year so that every day every student can and will  be successful. It would be our hope to release our plan for the fall in July. At that time we will reconvene the task forces where everyone is invited to participate, for some final conversations before submitting our plans to the state. As a parent myself, you have my personal commitment that we will do everything we can to ensure the health and safety of our students and staff while in our buildings and that students do not lose any instructional opportunities as a result of these uncertain times.

    Thank you for supporting your child’s learning and being a partner with us as we inspire all learners to achieve extraordinary success. 


    Sincerely,


    Randy Squier

    Superintendent of Schools

     

  • MAY 30, 2020

    Here is a GRADING PROCEDURE OVERVIEW INFORGRAPHIC

    Fourth Quarter Marking Period for M.S. and H.S.:

    Grading:

    1. Assignments, quizzes, tests or other assessments may be graded as indicated in your course syllabus; which should be posted in Google Classroom

    2. Hold off on giving any “zeros” for work not handed in or an assessment not completed. You may use ‘I” in the grade book as a placeholder. Check with your principal on how to proceed.  

    Report Cards:

    1. Quarterly averages will be computed as indicated in your course syllabus.

    2. The quarter ends June 12th. 

    3. Teachers must have final grades in the portal by June 15 at 9am. 

    4. Students may complete incomplete work until June 17th at 3pm.

    5. After June 17th the 4rd marking period grade of INC will be changed to an F.

    6. Students will be able to review grades beginning on June 15 and have until June 17 at 3pm to notify the teacher and their school counselor if they want the grade changed to:

    • PASSING for grades 65 and above. The teacher will then change the grade to P in eSD. 

    • INCOMPLETE for grades 64 and below. The teacher will then notify their counselor to change the grade to INC in eSD.

    • For incomplete the student will have until June 17th to complete work necessary to earn a passing grade. At which time they can choose PASSING or the grade earned.  

     

    Final Exams

    • No final end of course exams will be administered or computed into a quarterly or final average. College credit courses may be exempted if required by the college.

    • Culminating projects may be assigned and calculated as part of the 4th marking period. 

    FINAL END OF COURSE AVERAGES and COURSE CREDIT

     

    In order to provide students ownership of their grades the following options will be provided:

    One Credit Courses

OPTIONS

EARNS Course Credit

Student has four quarters of percentage grades.

  1. (1st QTR + 2nd QTR + 3rd QTR + 4th QTR)/4 = Final Avg.

  2. PASSING for grades 65 and above. The teacher will then change the grade to P in eSD. Final averages of P will show up on transcripts as P and will not be calculated into the student’s cumulative GPA.

Y

Student has earned a passing grade in the 4th Qtr. and two other quarters.

  1. (QTR + QTR + 4th QTR )/3 = Final Avg.

  2. PASSING for grades 65 and above. The teacher will then change the grade to P in eSD. Final averages of P will show up on transcripts as P and will not be calculated into the student’s cumulative GPA.

Y

Student has earned a passing grade in two or more marking periods.

  1. (QTR + QTR)/2 = Final Avg.

  2. PASSING for grades 65 and above. The teacher will then change the grade to P in eSD. Final averages of P will show up on transcripts as P and will not be calculated into the student’s cumulative GPA.

Y

Student has earned a passing grade for 4th Qtr.

  1. Principal discretion to assign PASSING after consultation with the teacher and counselor. The principal will then change the grade to P in eSD. Final averages of P will show up on transcripts as P and will not be calculated into the student’s cumulative GPA.

Y

Student has not earned a passing avg. in the above scenarios.

  1. INCOMPLETE will be assigned. Principal discretion to assign summer school after consultation with the teacher and counselor. Student may be required to re-take course over summer. Students who do not earn a passing grade will be assigned an F for the course.

N

Transcripts will have notes for Passing and Failing

  • P – Passing: A student has demonstrated learning of the curriculum.

  • F - Failing: A student has not demonstrated learning of the curriculum.

 

½ Credit Courses

SCENARIO

OPTIONS

EARNS Course Credit

Student has earned a passing grade in all quarters of course or overall passing average.

  1. (3rd QTR + 4th QTR)/2 = Final Avg.

  2. (1st QTR + 2nd QTR + 3rd QTR + 4th QTR)/4 = Final Avg.

  3. PASSING for grades 65 and above. The teacher will then change the grade to P in eSD. Final averages of P will show up on transcripts as P and will not be calculated into the student’s cumulative GPA.

Y

Student has earned a passing grade for the 4th Qtr. but the course avg is below 65%.

  1. Principal discretion to assign PASSING or INCOMPLETE after consultation with the teacher, student and counselor. The principal will then change the grade to P in eSD. Final averages of P will show up on transcripts as P and will not be calculated into the student’s cumulative GPA.

Y

Student has not earned a passing avg. in the above scenarios.

  1. INCOMPLETE will be assigned. Principal discretion to assign summer school after consultation with the teacher, student and counselor. Student may be required to re-take course over summer. Students who do not earn a passing grade will be assigned an F for the course.

N

Transcripts will have notes for Passing and Failing

  • P – Passing: A student has demonstrated learning of the curriculum.

  • F - Failing: A student has not demonstrated learning of the curriculum.

l

Grading and Report Cards for the Elementary Schools

The final trimester report card for elementary schools will be in narrative format. Classroom teachers will provide a written summary on final report cards for each student in reading, writing, math and overall. Special Area teachers will provide a final update for each student.

May 26, 2020

Click below for information on end of year events, including when students will drop-off school items and pick-up personal items

2020 END OF YEAR EVENTS

 

  • MAY 20, 2020

    What school will look like in the fall is on everyone’s mind. The events since March have created an opportunity for schools across the nation to evaluate how school was done before and how learning will occur in the future.

    We will begin to finalize plans for our transition and transformation next week. Each of the four task forces broken into four broad themes will create guidance documents that will be synthesized later this spring. This guidance document is a framework that will change with each new question and as events unfold in our world. Planning is useful as is knowing these plans may be obsolete tomorrow, next month or next year.

    We will plan under four large themes:

    1. Operations, Safety and Training

    2. Learning

    3. Wellness and Well Being

    4. Communication

    Each of these themes is inclusive of adults and students and will have many smaller parts to consider.

    We will plan with these guiding ideas:

    1. There is no back to normal.

    2. Every idea will be considered.

    3. Unfolding events could make good ideas obsolete.

    4. Be ready to change and for change.

    5. We will be better than we are now and were.

    6. All facets of how we do things will be reviewed.

    7. It is not just the fall we are planning for but the future; our students’ future.

    If you have an interest in participating in planning for one of the four themes, please indicate on this form.

    I would anticipate groups begin convening by the end of the month. Dates and Times will be shared later this week.

    C-A COVID PLANNING GUIDE

     

  • May 22, 2020

    The last day of new instruction for students will be Friday June 12th. Students will be able to make-up work until June 17th.

    During the week of June 15th students will be scheduled to drop-off school owned materials and pick up personal items. Teachers may also schedule classroom celebrations during this time as well. Specific days and times will be communicated next week.

    We hope you have a safe and healthy Memorial Day Weekend.

     

  • May 18, 2020

    Please click on this link for more information and how to sign-up prior to May 28. 

    INFORMATION ON COVID-19 TESTING

     

  • April 23, 2020

    Teachers have collectively determined the 3-5 most essential topics, skills and concepts for each course and grade level. These will be what is learned during our period of rLearning for the remainder of the 2020-21 school year. Learn more about ESSENTIAL OUTCOMES HERE. 

     

     

  • APRIL 17 ,2020

    Here are some letters and pictures created by some of our 5th graders thanking our nurses and doctors. 

    THANK YOU NURSES AND DOCTORS

     

  • April 16, 2020

    The Governor has extended the cancellation of classes until at least May 15th. 

     

  • April 15, 2020

    To All Members of the Coxsackie Athens Central School District Community,

     The Board of Education of the Coxsackie Athens Central School District would like to send a heartfelt message of gratitude to all of our students, their families and our district staff for taking such good care of each other at this sad and difficult time during this national emergency when we are all separated from each other and those we care about dearly.  As we look around us at all that is being done for our students and for the community as a whole, we want to tell you that each of us is proud to serve as members of your Board of Education. 

    We collectively thank the children and youth who are faithfully doing their schoolwork through technology and often with their parents’ and teachers’ help. 

    We honor the families who are coaching and supporting their children as learners in new and unique ways.   

    We so appreciate the teachers and teaching support staff who, through the creativity of technology staff, are teaching their students in amazing and new found ways, some of which did not exist just a few years ago.

    We recognize the custodial staff who keep the building clean and safe for the few using it now, and for all of us when we all get to return. 

    We hold deep respect for the nurses, clerical staff, food service staff, teacher aides, teaching assistants, support staff and all the others just too numerous to list here. They help in countless ways and some even support our children and their families by working to continue to offer meals to any child or youth 18 and under who would like one, based on nothing but our community members wanting to give to each other.

    As a board, we marvel at your ingenuity, strength and perseverance.  We appreciate the leadership the administrative team has so clearly shown as countless big and small tasks are taken on and then accomplished.

    We see messages that detail how much the staff miss their students that are breathtaking.

    We watch videos on line of adults reading stories to any child able to listen that bring tears to our eyes.

    We count our blessings that we live and serve as a school board within such a giving, “promises made and promises kept” community.

    Let’s all find solace in the fact that we know this troubling time has to come to an end, and that we will all be together again soon.

     

    Mike Donahue, Board President

    Mike Petramale, Board Vice President

    Tara Bachner, Board Member

    Nicole Canning, Board Member

    Jamie Dorr, Board Member

    Maureen Hanse, Board Member

    David Taylor, Board Member

    Bart Wallace, Board Member

     
    Message to Community

     

  • APRIL 7, 2020

    Here is a link to a Q/A regarding Regents exams being canceled and graduation requirements as a result. This is for all students grades 8-12. A few highlights below:

    • Students currently enrolled in a course that ends in a regents exam will receive regents credit if they pass the course.

    • Students who passed a course in a previous year but did not pass the regents exam are eligible for regents credit.

    • Students granted an exemption from any examination are not required to pass such specific examinations to meet the assessment requirements for any diploma type (local, Regents, or Regents with advanced designation). For example, a student that was enrolled in ELA 11 and was scheduled to take the examination in June 2020, does not need to meet the ELA assessment requirement for a local, Regents, or Advanced Regents diploma.

    • Advanced Designation: Any students who have Regents Exams exempted due to the cancellation of the June 2020 examination administration are not required to pass such Regents exams necessary for the Regents with Advanced Designation. Example: A student is scheduled to take the Algebra II Regents examination and the ELA Regents examination in June 2020. S/he have passed all other examinations necessary for the Regents with Advanced Designation. Such student will not be required to pass ELA and Algebra II but will still earn the Regents with Advanced Designation diploma.

    • Mastery Credit: While no actual score would be given, students who are exempted from a math and/or a science Regents examination, and pass at least two additional Regents exams in math with scores of 85 or above or 2 additional Regents Exams in Science with an 85 or above would be entitled to a mastery in math and/or science on their diploma. Example 1: A student has taken Algebra I and earned a 90, Geometry and earned an 87 and received an exemption to the Algebra II Regents Exam. This student has 2 exams with an 85 or above and a third exam exemption and would qualify for a mastery in mathematics. Example 2: A senior was enrolled in physics and has successfully earned course credit. She received a Regents exam exemption. She earned a 90 on her Living Environment 7 Regents exam, a 96 on her Earth Science Regents exam, and an 84 on her Chemistry Regents exam. Since this senior had two science Regents exam scores above 85 and the physics exam score waived, she is deemed to have met the requirements for the mastery endorsement.

    We recommend students and parents look over this Q/A and if you have questions contact your school counselor. 

     

  • APRIL 6, 2020

    FACE COVERINGS GUIDANCE: This document was issued by the Greene County Deparmtent of Emergency Services.

    FACE COVERINGS GUIDANCE

     

  • Apri 1, 2020

    Hello from C-A
    State health experts say the next two weeks will be critical in determining whether this public health crisis lasts for another six weeks or another six months. Governor Cuomo believes public schools can play a critical role in keeping kids engaged in learning at home during this critical period so the virus does not have the opportunity to spread more widely in our communities. That is why he is using his emergency powers to keep schools open during spring breaks throughout the state.

    Therefore, New York State has directed all school districts to continue instruction, meal service and child care through April 15th. This means NO SPRING BREAK.

    rLearning will continue on Good Friday as well as April 13-14-15. I predict classes will continue to be canceled thus rLearning will be extended, in which case rLearning will continue on April 16-17, etc.

    If we fail to offer all three of these services in the same manner as we have been we will lose state aid for each day we are in violation of this executive order.

    Here is a message Mr. Squier sent earlier today to all staff regarding this.

    Thank you

     

  • March 27, 2020 12:30 P.M.

    Dear Coxsackie-Athens School Community,

    Today,  Governor Andrew Cuomo extended the cancellation of classes for all New York schools  until at least Wednesday, April 15 in an effort to slow the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). 

    That date falls in the middle of our spring recess. C-A, along with many school districts in our region that face a similar situation, will look into what this means for our school. We will update our community as soon as we have more information.

    We understand the challenges the cancellation of classes has been for families. I know families have many questions about the remainder of the school year, from how students will be graded to what events will be held. 

    Our administrative team works each day on these questions and has engaged students and faculty and our school board to help us develop plans that best meet the needs of everyone impacted. 

    I am proud of our teachers, staff, students and parents who have done such an amazing job to work together to keep educating our kids while classes are canceled. The innovative ways teachers are using to teach, the commitment our students have demonstrated to keep learning, and all that parents have had to take on as our lives have been altered is inspiring.

    I hope each of you continues to stay healthy and safe and I urge everyone to please follow recommendations from New York State to help ensure we all get past this pandemic as soon and as safely as possible.


     With Indian Pride!

    Randy Squier

    Superintendent of Schools



  • MARCH 25, 2020

    Dear Students and Parents

    Based on feedback and suggestions from teachers on the LINKS team which met yesterday and students in grades 5-12 who were surveyed, the administration is establishing the following grading protocols for the middle school and high school for the 3rd marking period:

    Report Cards:

    1. Quarterly averages will be computed as indicated in your course syllabus.

    2. The quarter ends April 3rd. 

    3. Teachers must have final grades in the portal by April 6th. 

    4. Students will be able to review grades beginning on April 7th. They can accept the grade, or they have until April 14th to notify the teacher and their school counselor if they want the grade changed to:

    • PASSING for grades 65 and above. The teacher will then change the grade to P in eSD. 

    • INCOMPLETE for grades 64 and below. The teacher will then change the grade to INC in eSD.

    • For incomplete the student will have until June 2nd to complete work necessary to earn a passing grade. At which time they can choose PASSING or the grade earned.  

    If you have questions please contact your principal.

     

  • March 23. 2020

    Dear Parent,

    Please read below for important procedures for meal distribution. Your cooperation is needed to make this service operate smoothly. 

    Meals, breakfast and lunch are available Monday-Thursday. Thursday’s distribution will be for Thursday and Friday.

    All are eligible to participate for this free service. 

    DELIVERY LOGISTICS

    In order to maintain appropriate separation, families who are receiving delivery of free meals should place a plastic tote or other container, such as the reusable bag you received today, outside near the road each morning. Our staff will then fill your container. Our staff will not deliver to the door. For those who are receiving food at a common drop off, bring your container to the drop off each morning. 

    PICK-UP LOGISTICS

    Families who do not pick-up for three days will be taken off the list. 

    SIGNING UP

    • Families who wish to sign up for the first time should use the online form found on our website or call a school office. Pick-up is encouraged. 

    • Parents who wish to switch from delivery to pick-up should call their school office prior to 10am to ensure the switch will be made the next day. 

    • Parents who sign up for delivery will receive a confirmation email. 

    • Parents who sign for pick-up, you are good to go, and show  up the next day between 7:30am-9am at the high school side entrance. 

  • MARCH 22, 2020

    FOOD DISTRIBUTION UPDATE

    Food distribution will be four days per week beginning tomorrow. Families will receive an email later today confirming they have signed up. 

    We encourage those who can to sign-up for pick-up. For those currently signed up for delivery and have the means to switch to pick-up that would be appreciated. 

    MEAL FLYER UPDATED 3 23 2020

     

    March 21, 2020

    Updates for parents and students

    MARCH 20,2020

    Below are copies of correspondence that were mailed home on March 19th.

    PARENT UPDATE LETTER FROM MR. SQUIER

    MEALS DISTRIBUTION UPDATE MARCH 19

    TECH SERVICES UPDATE LETTER

    COMMUNITY SERVICES CONTACT INFORMATION

    March 17, 2020

    TOPIC: What to expect in regards to remote teaching and learning during this time:   

    Dear Parents,

    Right now our children are home and everything around them is changing. Like adults, every child reacts differently to change. That is why we will be attempting to bring some normalcy with our teachers providing remote instruction. 

    We are fortunate at C-A to be a 1:1 school, thus every student K-12 has access to a school issued iPad or Chromebook. As a result teachers have been developing lessons and school work for their students to complete and submit online. Students in all grades will have remote access to their teachers on a daily basis. Some teachers may hold live classes while others will conduct office hours to support students each day through secure platforms like Google Classroom or ClassDojo. I am excited to see the innovative ways our teachers will be providing content and connecting with their students. 

    Each of you should have received a communication from your child’s teachers on how and when they can access their teachers. If you do not have that information contact your child’s school office. We know this will not be the same as in-school classroom teaching and learning. Some students will struggle with this approach, some may thrive. This is why our counselors and school nurses will also be available each day to provide support.  

    Below is a general overview of what to expect in regards to remote teaching and learning during this time:   

    1. I am asking teachers to remember to take care of themselves and their families first.

    2. Teachers will provide work for students to demonstrate learning based on lessons. Deadlines for completion will provide flexibility to students. 

      1. Directions on how to submit/upload work will be included on all student assignments.

      2. Assignments will  be doable with resources students would have available.

      3. Evidence of learning will be submitted electronically by students. Work completed on paper can be photographed and uploaded. 

      4.  Feedback in the form of grades or comments will be provided.

      5. Special education teachers and RtI teachers will be communicating with content area teachers to provide resources and support. They will communicate with students through teachers google classroom or may create a google classroom of their own.

    3. Teachers will work to maintain at least 3 days of lessons and work for students.

    4. Teachers will be available online daily based on the school calendar for 2 hours minimum per day during the student day to support students.

      1. Office Hours will be posted in Google Classroom (grades 5-12) and  for grades K-4 determined by the teacher. 

    5. Counselors and nurses will be available daily based on the school calendar for 3 hours minimum per day during the student day to support students.

    We will be updating you on a regular basis with more details on topics that are important to you. 

    All updates will be posted to our website. Please continue to visit our website, Twitter feed and Instagram feed for the most up to date information on meal distribution, tech services help, and resources to help you during this time. 

    If you have any questions please call your child’s school office Monday-Thursday 8am-3pm. 

    Thank you

    Randy Squier

    Superintendent of Schools

     

     

    March 15, 2020

    Dear Families,

    Yesterday you received a letter from me regarding the cancellation of classes beginning March 18 until March 27. After further conversations with other superintendents in our region, department of health officials and after meeting with the administrative team and Board of Education today, I am modifying Tuesday’s schedule to be a noon dismissal for all students. Therefore this our schedule:

    •  Students will have classes Monday March 16 with a noon dismissal.

    • Students will have classes on Tuesday March 17 with a noon dismissal.

    • Wednesday March 18 classes are canceled effective for all Coxsackie-Athens students until March 27.

     

    We are preparing a plan to offer free breakfast and lunch to everyone ages birth to 18 while classes are canceled. That information will be forthcoming in a separate communication. 

     

    Sincerely,

     

    Randall W. Squier

    Superintendent of Schools

    Classes canceled effective March 18

    March 14, 2020

    Dear Families,

    Superintendents in the Questar III BOCES region of Rensselaer, Columbia and Greene counties met today to develop a plan to cancel all classes effective Wednesday, March 18 until Friday, March 27. This decision was made after consultation with our county health departments. We have agreed to meet tomorrow to finalize these plans. I also have a meeting along with the other superintendents in our county with the Greene County Legislature who is holding an emergency meeting tomorrow. 

    For Coxsackie-Athens

     

    • Students will have classes Monday March 16 with a noon dismissal.

    • Students will have a full day of classes on Tuesday March 17. 

     UPDATED 3/15/20: Students will have classes Tuesday March 17 with a noon dismissal

    • Wednesday March 18 classes are canceled effective for all Coxsackie-Athens students until March 27.

     Although Greene County did not not have any confirmed cases as of this morning, we are seeking to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and to ease public anxiety about schools being in session during this public health crisis. 

    The decision was made after an emergency meeting of superintendents in Rensselaer, Columbia and Greene counties with the local health departments and Questar III BOCES. Our school district will continue to monitor guidance from local, state and federal agencies to reassess and reevaluate whether we may need to extend our closing if conditions worsen. 

    We understand that this is a hardship for our families, but our primary concern is the health and safety of our students and staff. Ultimately, we wanted to be thoughtful about planning and not make a sudden decision that does not allow our families and staff to prepare for what could be a more extended closing. 

    This week’s schedule provides our teaching staff with time to prepare instructional materials and resources for students. It also allows our students to clean out their lockers and bring home their belongings, including digital devices, instruments and other items. 

    Our school district is committed to providing educational resources for our students during this time, but we also realize that you cannot replicate the school day for your child. We will communicate prior to Wednesday how teachers will contact you and your child to maintain learning during this time. We will also seek to maintain our student, teacher and family relationships as much as possible through digital means. We encourage you to maintain a schedule and routine to provide as much normalcy as possible for your child. 

    We will also continue to provide meals to all students. Pick-up and delivery logistics will be shared directly with families prior to Wednesday. 

    Thank you for your continued patience and support as we work together through this unprecedented situation. Looking ahead, we anticipate that there will be many questions. We will continue to follow guidance from our health and education departments and will provide additional information as soon as possible. Please continue to follow the CDC’s recommendations – including thorough handwashing, social distancing and avoiding large groups and those who are ill – to stay safe and healthy. 

    Sincerely,

    Randall W. Squier

    Superintendent of Schools

    March 13,2020

    Hello,

    This message is to provide facts as of this hour regarding our schools. 

    The administrative team is meeting regularly to review COVID-19 (Coronavirus) information as it is received from New York State Education Department (NYSED), NYS Department of Health (DOH), Greene County Public Health Department, as well as other local, state and federal authorities. The team reviews recommendations and guidance, and continually adjusts our immediate response plan, as well as our planned response, for additional possible issues.

    Guidance has been received on the following topics: 24-hour Closure Rule, Strategies/Best Practices for Community Containment, Travel Related Considerations, Anti-Discrimination Considerations, and Ensuring Continuity of Student Needs in the event of School Closure. 

    Guidance from these sources changes on a daily basis, and we will continue to communicate updates via our district website, social media and robocall, if necessary. First, the health and safety of students and staff is our top priority. As stated above, we have consulted daily with the department of health to make sure we are following state guidelines in regards to COVID-19. As a result of those conversations:

    • School as of this hour will continue on Monday. 

    •  Monday will be changed to a noon dismissal for all students K-12. 

      • This is to provide teachers time to develop lessons and materials in case the district is required to close in the future. 

     The C-A Emergency Response Plan requires preparations for the event of a prolonged school closure:

    • Today all students in grades 5-12 are taking home any books, notebooks, iPads and other materials to be able to complete work at home if necessary.

    • Students in grades K-4 will be provided materials early next week. 

    • The administration has developed a plan for remote learning in case the district has to close in the future and will be supporting teachers to implement that plan. 

    • The administration has a framework in place for providing meals to students in case the district has to close in the future. The details will be shared next week. 

    After consultation with the Department of Health, the play is still on this weekend with limited seating for each show. This will be strictly enforced.  DVDs of the performance will be available for sale at a later date.

    Sports practices will continue. All contests with other schools are postponed until after Easter break.  

    I am stopping the use of our facilities by outside groups beginning today for the next two weeks. We will evaluate whether to extend this policy at that time. 

    If the District becomes aware that a student or staff member is diagnosed with COVID-19, we will notify the school community immediately. If you or a family member begin showing symptoms of a respiratory illness, contact your primary healthcare provider. Guidance requires a two-day closure if one case is confirmed for a student or staff member. If a closure occurs the district will work with the Greene County Public Health Department to disinfect the building prior to reopening.

    As a parent, I understand some of you may be frustrated by the events unfolding. I ask that you support your child’s well-being during this historic time. There are resources on our website that help with explaining COVID-19 with children. If you feel it is best for your family to keep your child home from school, that is your decision and I respect your decision. 

    Make sure to check our website for resources and updates and to follow our schools on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook for the latest updates. 


    Thank you,

    Randy Squier

    Superintendent of Schools. 

    March 9, 2020

    Update From NYSED & DOH: 

     

    When a student or staff member attended school prior to being confirmed as a COVID-19 case, New York State Department of Health requires an initial 24-hour closure, in order to begin an investigation to determine the contacts that the individual may have had within the school environment. That investigation will inform the plan determined by the local department of health as to any further required closure, or other necessary precautions to take for specific classrooms, or for specific individuals. Such plan must recommend actions for future positive COVID-19 cases as well. During that initial 24-hour closure the school shall immediately take steps to clean and disinfect the school building(s) where the student or staff had contact prior to testing positive for COVID-19. That disinfection must be in accordance with NYS DOH guidelines and must be complete before accepting returning students.

     

    Following are resources that may be helpful in talking to students about the COVID-19: 

    Just for Kids; A Comic Exploring the New Coronavirus 

    https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/02/28/809580453/just-for-kids-a-comic-exploring-the-new-coronavirus

    Fear of Coronavirus- A Good Time to Talk to Kids About Keeping Fears Realistic and Manageable. Lois M. Collins, Deseret News, Jan. 28, 2020 

    https://www.deseret.com/indepth/2020/1/28/21112457/fear-coronavirus-china-children-anxiety-health-medicine-virus

    How Do You Talk to Children About Coronavirus? Stay Honest and Simple to Avoid Anxiety. o Gene Myers NorthJersey.com, USA Today, Feb. 28, 2020 o https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2020/02/28/talking-children-coronavirus-keepsimple-avoid-stress/4906147002/

    How to Talk to Your Kids About the Coronavirus (and Ease Their Fears) o Vivian Manning-Schaffel, NBC News, Updated March 2, 2020  

    https://www.nbcnews.com/better/lifestyle/how-talk-your-kids-about-coronavirus-ease-theirfears-ncna1129851

     

    UPDATE AND GUIDANCE FROM NYSED AND DOH 

     

    Here are links to the COVID-19 webpages of state and federal agencies:

     

     

    March 5, 2020

    At this time, CDC has not recommended avoidance of travel to any locations within the United States.

    COVID-19: Guidance on Cleaning

    Today we received the following guidance documents from the State Department of Health on cleaning and disinfection:

    As noted in the guidance, the New York State Green Cleaning Program does not address the use of disinfection products. Disinfection products may be used in school settings as needed at any time.

    March 4, 2020

    This guidance document from the NYS Department of Health provides an overview of the procedures we follow for cleaning in our schools. 
    DOH Guidance for  COVID-19 Preventative Cleaning in Schools

    Resources Shared March 4, 2020

    Tips for Talking to Kids about Coronavirus 

     

    February 28, 2020

    Dear C-A Staff and Families:

    We know the flu and in particular the Novel Coronavirus has been in the headlines. At this time there has been no guidance for schools from the Department of Health regarding COVID-19 also known as Novel Coronavirus. Below are some recommendations for families and school staff as well the actions we are taking regarding keeping our schools safe during the flu season.

    Individual level

    • Please practice social distancing when ill.

    • Parents should keep children home who exhibit cold and flu-like symptoms.

    • Staff should refrain from coming to work if they have cold and flu-like symptoms.

    • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. Germs spread this way.

    • Use a tissue to cover coughs and sneezes, then dispose of the tissue. When a tissue is not available, cough or sneeze into your elbow.

    • Hand washing:

      • We encourage all students to keep unwashed hands out of their mouths, eyes, etc.

      • We encourage all students to use soap.

      • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.

      • If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.

      • Always wash hands with soap and water if your hands are visibly dirty.

      • For information about hand washing, see CDC’s Handwashing website

      • For information specific to healthcare, see CDC’s Hand Hygiene in Healthcare Settings 

    Classroom/School level

    • Teachers and parents should review hand-washing techniques with students.

    • Teachers and staff will discourage the sharing of food while in our schools.
      We will provide soap in classrooms and bathrooms.

    • Our maintenance staff will use recommended cleaning products on all high-touch surfaces daily.

    • Our maintenance staff will conduct deep cleanings at recommended intervals.

    District level

    • We will provide clear and transparent communication to our school community especially around any suspected or confirmed cases.

    • Our school nurses are vigilant in monitoring the student body, especially in cases where students exhibit symptoms associated with the virus.

    • We are establishing a process for determining whether students are contracting the virus and a system for reporting updates to health officials.

    • Currently, public health officials are not recommending the use of masks or gloves in public settings.

    • At this time, federal health authorities are not recommending that schools cancel classes.

    • We will take care to not stigmatize any students/families/populations.

    If you have planned out-of-district trips overseas or within the United States (if there are reported outbreaks at the U.S. destination), consider cancellation.                 

    And remember, while the Coronavirus news is concerning, it is important to note that there are other respiratory viruses like influenza currently circulating in schools. Fever, coughing and difficulty breathing are symptoms associated with all of them. Therefore, anyone exhibiting these symptoms should not be assumed to have COVID-19.

    The CDC has updated their website for COVID-19 to include information for communities and schools.

    If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me. This information is also available on our website. 

    Sincerely,

    Randall W. Squier
    Superintendent of Schools