The following information was emailed to families on Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022:
Dear BC family:
Yesterday, we reported a two-day total of 70 new COVID cases in the Bethlehem Central School District and today we have another 31 cases to report. While the numbers in recent days have been alarming, please be aware that we are just now clearing the backlog of cases discovered over the holiday and that were reported to us this week. Our staffing levels have been fluctuating as newer cases are reported, but we are continuing to stay the course as of now and our doors remain open to students.
We are monitoring both staff and student cases very closely to identify any COVID transmission trends happening as a result of being at school. Our staff — including our school nurses, office staff in our buildings and at transportation, and our building principals — have been working incredibly hard to keep up with the increased caseload. Our nurses are in constant contact with families to identify any transmission that may be taking place outside of the home. All individuals who test positive are excluded from school until completing their county health department’s isolation protocols. We continue to do contact tracing when a positive case is reported to us and notify those close contacts of all existing Department of Health protocols.
These isolation and quarantine protocols for students in K-12 schools have not changed despite the news from the CDC that their COVID guidance now includes shortened isolation and quarantine for most people. It is expected that there could be changes ahead for student isolation and quarantine, but as of today (Jan. 6), we have not received that guidance. As you know, our mitigation strategies in our buildings require consistent mask use and distancing. On the school bus, however, where distancing is more difficult, we are identifying significant numbers of close contacts in following the required ACDOH protocols. Not all students need to be excluded from school when they are identified as a close contact. If your child is vaccinated and asymptomatic, they can attend school. When families of close contacts are notified of a child’s possible exposure, they receive a Close Contact Notification that looks like this. It includes links to the Albany County Department of Health’s quarantine protocols as well as any up-to-date district-level resources if a child is unable to attend school.
I had hoped to schedule a Question & Answer session for parents as early as this week to help address the many COVID-related questions that have come our way during the first few days of the new year. But the truth is, right now, I have the questions but don’t have many of the answers. There is too much in flux right now that answers I could provide today may not be relevant tomorrow. Assurances I could give today could fall apart tomorrow. I will be meeting with officials from the Albany County Department of Health on Friday and will be addressing several of these questions with our public health leaders. If there are updates I can provide following that meeting, I will do so.
Also, I have scheduled a Mid-Year Parent Q & A for Thursday, Jan. 20 at 7 p.m. This meeting will be a virtual meeting that you join from home. Topics will include COVID mitigation going forward, instructional updates, and a look ahead to our planning for the second half of this year, as well as the 2022-23 school year, which could see some significant changes in bus transportation. Please watch for more information coming your way in the next several days.
For now, we will continue to remain focused on keeping our layered mitigation efforts strong in order to keep our schools open. Masks on, physical distancing, greater testing access, and making sure students and staff are well enough to come to school. We will also distribute what remains of our at-home testing kits to families who could not pick them up this week.
At-home test kits
We were notified yesterday that the balance of the district rapid antigen at-home testing kits has arrived. If you were unable to pick up a test kit for your child this week, a districtwide pick-up will be held on Monday, Jan. 10 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Eagle Elementary School. This is only for families who have not already received a test kit for their child.
- COVID At-Home Test Kit Pick-Up – Eagle Elementary School (Drive-Thru)
- 27 Van Dyke Road, Delmar
- Monday, Jan. 10, 2022
- 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Cars should enter using the entrance to Eagle that is closest to Delaware Avenue. Do not park. Please stay in your vehicle and follow the traffic pattern. Roll down your window and give your child(ren)’s name(s), school and grade and your test kits will be handed to you. We only have enough test kits for each BC student in your household, so if you have already received yours, please allow others to receive theirs. Monday evening’s pick-up is for families of students at all schools. You do not need to attend Eagle to pick up your test kit there.
Thank you again for your patience as we navigate this difficult situation. If you have questions, please feel free to contact me directly at jmonroe@bethlehemschools.org.
Sincerely,
Jody Monroe
Superintendent
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