Community Letter: May 24, 2021

NEWS

Community Letter: May 24, 2021

May 24, 2021

Dear Warwick Valley Families:

As we enter the last month of the school year, please review the following information regarding the District’s end-of-school-year plans, summer academic offerings, opening for the 2021-22 school year, and COVID-19 updates.

End of the School Year

End of the Year K-8

As a reminder, the last day of school is Friday, June 25, with a half-day on 6/18 and 6/25. The principal of each school will be in touch to describe year-end activities.

Regents Week 

At the High School level, the last day of regular classes will be Monday, June 21. Tuesday, June 22- Thursday, June 24, will be Regents days where students should only attend school if they take a Regents Exam.

The Class of 2021

Please anticipate a letter from Principal Fusco this evening about the Class of 2021 end-of-year events and graduation.

Summer

Summer Academy

The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) provides school funding to address student learning loss by implementing summer learning programs. The District will offer a four-week summer academy program for all grade levels from Monday, July 12- Friday, August 6. Hours will be from 9 a.m. to noon, and the District will provide transportation. The District will send out registration forms and further details by Friday, June 4. To help us with planning, please click here to complete a short survey.

Planning for the 2021-22 School Year

Districtwide Plan

The District will continue to offer daily in-person instruction to all students for the 2021-22 school year. Staff will continue to work throughout the spring and summer to ensure we achieve this outcome. 

Pine Island Elementary School

Pine Island Elementary School will remain open to kindergarten students for the 2021-22 school year. This decision allows the District to reduce occupancy and class sizes at the elementary level.

Federal Stimulus

Federal funding is available to all districts in New York State to support the safe reopening of schools and sustain safe operations while meeting students’ academic, social, emotional, and mental health needs that may have arisen from the COVID-19 pandemic. The New York State Education Department (NYSED) will publish spending regulations for districts in the upcoming weeks.

Universal Pre-K

The New York State Legislature announced that most Orange County public school districts would receive money to fund universal pre-kindergarten. The District will partner with local preschool providers. Based on the regulations and funding available, Warwick Valley Schools will offer 77 slots for its program. The regulations require the District to award the slots to families based on a lottery if more than 77 families apply. Anticipate more information in June. 

COVID-19 Information

Masks

After the CDC announced its latest guidance, the District received questions regarding mask-wearing. At this time, the New York State Health Department rule remains “Face masks are required at all times, except for meals.” The District will adjust its approach when the NYSDOH announces a change. Given the warmer weather, the District will implement increased mask breaks as long as face coverings remain a NYS mandate.

Desk Partitions – Discontinued

Student desk partitions are in place at the middle school and high school. Because NYSDOH is no longer recommending desk partitions, the District will start to remove them. If you wish for your child’s workspace(s) to continue to have a partition, please contact your child’s school counselor by telephone or email to make that request.

COVID-19 Update:

The following update provides you with a summary of COVID-19 positive cases, which have occurred since our communication on April 27, 2021:

  • Pine Island Elementary School: No new cases
  • Park Avenue Elementary School: No new cases
  • Warwick Valley Middle School: No new cases
  • Sanfordville Elementary School: Three positive COVID-19 student cases; two were in attendance during their infectious periods. One positive COVID-19 staff member case; the staff member was in attendance during his/her infectious period.
  • Warwick Valley High School: Three positive COVID-19 student cases; two were in attendance during their infectious periods. 

In all of the cases listed above, the District notified the families and staff required to quarantine.

The District continues to update its COVID-19 Dashboard/Report Card daily: New York State’s COVID Report Card

We are grateful for your continued partnership in our efforts to keep our schools open for in-person instruction.

Sincerely,

David Leach
Superintendent of Schools

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