Dear Parent and Caregivers:

As you are likely aware, the spread of the COVID-19 virus in Ulster County has been increasing on a daily basis. On November 1 there were 261 active cases in the county.  On December 9 there were 1659 active cases, a 636% increase.  On November 1 the percent of tests that were positive (positivity rate) was .3%.  On December 9 the positivity rate was 6.3%.  Simply put the virus is present in the county, it is spreading, and the rate of spread is increasing.

While our positive case numbers have been low, since late September, virtually every day symptomatic students and those teachers and students who have been in direct or proximate contact with them have had to remain home to either isolate or quarantine until cleared by health professionals.  We have worked with you and our staff to take the necessary steps to keep our students in school.  We have always maintained that we would only do so if we could, to the best of our ability, guarantee the health safety of our students and staff.  

The data now suggests that this is no longer the case.  The number of active cases in the county is now almost twice what it was during the height of the first wave of the pandemic in the Spring.  The county is running low on available hospital beds.  Every expert that we have consulted, including the Ulster County Commissioner of Health, indicates that we aren’t yet feeling the full impact of the post-holiday second wave.  Contact tracing suggests that most of the transmission today occurs in small congregate settings.  A school classroom is a congregate setting. 

With those fact in mind, and to ensure the health and safety of our students and staff, we have decided to pivot all of our programs (CTE, Special Education, HVPA, Phoenix, and Ramapo) to full remote teaching and learning beginning on Wednesday, December 16.  The period of full remote teaching and learning will extend through Friday, January 15.  At the present time, we plan to return to in-person teaching and learning on Tuesday, January 19. 

On Monday, December 14, and Tuesday, December 15, building principals will be communicating the teaching and learning schedules that we will be implementing during this transition period to all parents.  Teachers will be communicating directly with their students as well. 

As always, thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Charles V. Khoury, Ed.D.
District Superintendent
Ulster BOCES

December 4, 2020

Dear Parents and Caregivers:

Recently, Governor Cuomo implemented the New York State Cluster Action Initiative that designates certain geographic areas in the state as Yellow, Orange, or Red, based on certain metrics that were developed by the State.  These metrics address the positivity rate of the COVID-19 virus in a geographical area.  A copy of those metrics, which can be changed by the NYS Department of Health or by the Governor at any time, is attached. 

As more areas in the State become designated as yellow zones, we are beginning to prepare for the possibility of our schools being in a yellow zone soon.  Please note that none of our school locations are currently in any designated zone.

If any of our school locations falls within a designated yellow zone, we are required to test 20% of the in-person students and staff of that school over the 2-week period immediately following a yellow zone designation to continue with in-person instruction for that school location. To determine the size of our testing pool we are asking parents/guardians of students who are attending any of our programs in-person to submit a consent form if you are willing to have your child tested by our school nurse while on school district property.  

Please read, complete, sign, and return this form to your child’s school if you consent to have your child tested. 

Below please find important information regarding COVID-19 testing:

• Parental/Guardian consent is required prior to testing students
• Testing will be done on school property by a school nurse. 
• The school nurse will be trained by the Ulster County Department of Health on administering the test. 
• There will be no charge for tests performed by the District on school property. 
• Parents/Guardians have the option to have their child tested privately off-site and provide a copy of the test results to the school nurse. 

 If the testing reveals a positivity rate below the threshold, testing will no longer be required. 

If the school is designated as an Orange or Red Zone, the school building will be closed and to reopen, at present, no student or staff can attend in-person without first receiving a negative COVID-19 test result taken after the closure of the school.

Charles V. Khoury, Ed.D.
District Superintendent

November 25, 2020

Dear Parents / Caregivers and Staff:

Today we were notified that one of our Career & Technical Education students has tested positive for COVID-19.  The student was last in attendance on Friday, November 20 and entered the school site having passed all our screening mechanisms (survey and temperature checks). The student was later tested on Monday, November 23. The results were received today and were positive for the COVID-19 virus.

According to our protocols and procedures, those students who were in close contact with the student last week (within six feet, with or without a mask, for more than 15 minutes) were notified.  These students have been attending remotely this week as part of their regularly scheduled cohort assignment.  The staff member who was in close contact was also notified.  These impacted individuals have been provided with instructions to quarantine based upon the New York State Department of Health protocols for being a contact of someone who has tested positive.  As a result, this class will remain remote until December 4.

All impacted physical spaces have been disinfected according to our extensive cleaning protocols.

Please remember, COVID-19 symptoms may appear two to 14 days after exposure to the virus and include fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, and diarrhea.  If your child experiences any of these symptoms, please keep them home from school and closely monitor.  Consult with your child’s doctor for advice whenever needed.

Once again, we urge vigilance and responsibility. Please do not hesitate to contact the nurse’s office if you have any questions or concerns, however, please understand that student privacy will continue to be protected as required by law.  If you have questions, please contact Principal Amy Storenski at 845-331-6680 ext. 2234 or the School Nurse, Margaret Short, at 845-331-6680 ext. 2269 after the holiday weekend.

We hope you will join us in extending our well wishes to the student and their family for a speedy recovery process.

Sincerely,

Charles V. Khoury, Ed.D.

District Superintendent

November 2020

Dear Families of Ulster County:

Since mid-March, the year 2020 has been filled with challenges.  Our routines have been altered and we have all had to adjust to the uncertainties of our world.  This has not been an easy year for any one of us.  Unfortunately, while there have been some initial promising reports about the availability of a vaccine to combat the COVID-19 virus, we have to be prepared for the reality that the beginning of 2021 will likely present us all with many of the same challenges. 

As we planned for the 2020-2021 school year, our biggest concern was the delivery of a quality education to the over 24,000 students who attend our schools while supporting the health, safety and well-being of our students, staff and their families.  Most schools opted for a combination of in-person, hybrid, and remote instruction to both keep our students in school and safe.  Our goal is to have a level of instruction so that schools can continue to provide all the services that Ulster County children need to be successful.  Collectively, we believe in the value of on-going instruction and related activities for educating the whole child.  

In this letter we explain where we are seeing school-age cases and quarantined individuals, what the current data shows, why there is a need to work together for both our children and for our local economy, and what can happen if positive cases continue to rise.

Where we are seeing cases and quarantined individuals:

Most individuals associated with our schools that are currently in isolation or quarantine did not have exposure to COVID-19 at school.  Rather these exposures happened outside of the school setting.  Activities include while car-pooling, sleepovers, recreational contact sports and other types of social gatherings.

School Related Outbreaks:

During the first three months of this school year there have been relatively few school-based outbreaks in the schools of Ulster County.  The partnership between the schools, the Ulster County Department of Health and our families have allowed us to quickly identify cases and to isolate and quarantine those exposed.  We continue to rely on the cooperation from our families in reporting positive cases and in identifying close contacts. 

What the Data shows:

• The better we are with our mitigation strategies, the longer we will be able to keep schools open and have children participate in ongoing instruction.
• When social distancing is practiced less students and staff must quarantine if there was a positive case in the school building.
• Masks have been shown to work at slowing the disease spread by about 70%. (Sources: Howard, J., Huang, A. et.al. 2020; Wang, Y., Tian, H., et.al. 2020: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Davies, A., Thompson, K., et.al., 2013)
• The Ulster County Department of Health has reported an increase in the number of positive cases across the county- mirroring the increase in positive cases in the region and the state in the recent weeks.  This increase in cases suggest that the mitigation strategies and attention to reducing the spread of the COVID-19 virus have not been consistently practiced in many communities. 

We need to work together to keep schools open - for our children and for the economy.

• Our goal is to sustain the best learning environment for our children as long as possible recognizing the challenges of community-based spread of COVID-19 as the reach of the virus continues to grow.   
• We recognize that schools play a vital role in each of our communities, and we have seen that safely providing in-person or hybrid options wherever possible provides a benefit for the academic, social, emotional and physical well-being of our students and families.
• Having our schools open and providing in-person and/or hybrid instruction allows for parents and caregivers to keep attending work, thus sustaining our local economy. 

Keeping school open is dependent on two actions:

• Mitigating the spread of COVID-19 within the walls of our school buildings and on each campus.
• Preventing the spread of COVID-19 in our communities.

If the rate of positive cases continues to trend upward, the Ulster County Department of Health warns that schools may be forced to implement additional protocols and restrictions to suppress the current rate of spread.  These safety measures could mean limiting access to in-person instruction and, in the worst-case scenario a shift to fully remote learning across our districts. 

It is essential that at this critical juncture that we all work together to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus in our communities with the same determination that allowed us to successfully open our schools this fall.  We all must follow the necessary protocols when out in public or when we are around others outside of the household that have worked to provide a safe environment in our schools:  wear a mask, keep socially distant, and wash your hands frequently.  Continue to screen your children for the onset of symptoms before the start of each school day and keep them home if they are sick.

Our school families, community members, and you are important to us as we support health and safety precautions both within and outside of school.  Thank you for your continued support, flexibility and demonstrated resilience during this challenging school year.

Pat Ryan
Ulster County Executive

Dr. Carol Smith
Health Commissioner
Ulster County Department of Health

Kevin Castle
Superintendent
Wallkill CSD

Dr. Joseph Morgan
Superintendent
Rondout Valley CSD

Dr. Paul Padalino
Superintendent
Kingston City School District

Thomas Bongiovi
Superintendent
Highland Central School District

Dr. Charles V. Khoury
District Superintendent
Ulster BOCES

Lisa Wiles 
Superintendent
Ellenville CSD

Victoria McLaren
Superintendent
Onteora CSD

Kirk Reinhardt
Superintendent
Saugerties CSD

Angela Urbina-Medina
Superintendent
New Paltz CSD

Michael Brooks
Superintendent
Marlboro CSD

October 2, 2020

To Parents and Caregivers,

We have just completed the first week of full attendance in our programs.  All in all, it has been a successful two weeks; the first week with 50% of our students in attendance and this week with 100% in attendance.  

As we expected students, as they often do, begin to feel ill, after arriving at school.  During the past two weeks we have experienced this virtually every day.  By following our protocols and the guidance of the Ulster County Department of Health, we sent the symptomatic student home and we sent the direct and proximate contacts of that student home as well.  The symptomatic student was directed to see their personal care physician for a checkup to determine the cause of the illness, and the contacts were directed to stay at home and monitor for symptoms.

On Thursday, late in the day, we received updated guidance from the NYS Department of Health that changed those procedures.  The new procedures still require that the symptomatic student be sent home with direction to see their personal care physician for assessment.  The new guidance requires that the school be notified in writing from the personal care physician of the outcome of the assessment within 48 hours of the onset of the symptoms at school.  

The new procedures also require that the school wait the 48 hours before informing the Ulster County Department of Health of the symptomatic student.  It also removes the requirement to send the direct and proximate contacts home at the onset of the symptomatic student’s symptoms.  

The new procedures indicate that if, after 48 hours have elapsed, the school has not received a clearance resolution from the student’s personal care physician that we are to consider the student as COVID-19 positive and that we then contact the Ulster County Department of Health who will initiate contact tracing and they will also determine which contacts of the symptomatic student need to be quarantined.

Ulster County is fortunate that our transmission rate is low, hovering around 1%.  To date, all our symptomatic students have been cleared by their personal care physicians.  In most cases the symptoms were because of a typical adolescent illness episode or were the result of a preexisting condition.

I would encourage you to access and read the NYD Department of Health COVID-19 Guidance at the following link:
https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2020/10/prek-gr12_toolkit.pdf

Stay well and stay safe,

Charles V. Khoury, Ed.D.
District Superintendent

October 1, 2020

To Parents, Caregivers and Staff:

I want to update you on the COVID-19 suspected case at the Career and Technical Center, this past Tuesday.

We have received an update from the personal care physician clearing the student from COVID-19 and allowing the student to return to school.

As such that student, and all students and staff who were isolated can return to school tomorrow.

Thank you all for your understanding and patience, and as always…

I want to emphasize the importance of not coming to school or to any BOCES work location if you or in the case of a parent / caregiver, your student, exhibits any of the following symptoms, 

Fever or chills
Cough
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Fatigue
Muscle or body aches
Headache
New loss of taste or smell
Sore throat
Congestion or runny nose
Nausea or vomiting
Diarrhea

or if you or your student, in the previous 14 days has been in contact with anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19 or anyone who is suspected of having COVID-19, or anyone who is awaiting the results of a COVID-19 test.

If we hope to have any semblance of the continuity of in-person instruction, we will need everyone’s cooperation.

Sincerely,

September 30, 2020

To Parents, Caregivers and Staff:

I want to alert you to a situation that took place this morning at the Center for Innovative Teaching & Learning - Port Ewen (CITL-PE) (Case # 20-005). 

A student entered the school site this morning having passed all our screening mechanisms, (survey and temperature checks).  During the morning, the student reported feeling ill and was sent to the school nurse.  The presenting symptoms were among those that are listed as potential symptoms of the COVID-19 virus.  The nurse assessed the student, isolated the student, and then according to our protocols, contacted both the principal and County Department of Health (UCDOH).

UCDOH recommended that the student be sent home to be evaluated by their personal care physician or the UCDOH.  Parents/caregivers were called, and the student was transported out of the building. The student will have to remain at home until we receive written notice clearing the student to return to school from their personal care physician or evidence of a negative COVID-19 test result. 

According to our protocols and procedures, and out of an abundance of caution, students who were in close contact (within six feet, with or without a mask for more than 15 minutes) with the suspected student, were isolated, and parents and caregivers were called to pick them up and given directions to monitor for symptoms.  Those students are to remain home until we receive the clearance noted above regarding the suspected student.  Such clearance could take as long as 14 days.  The staff who were in close contact were likewise sent home.  The class will pivot to remote learning for the duration of their stay at home.

The impacted classroom has been sealed and will be disinfected according to protocol. No other students or staff were in close contact with the suspected student.  All impacted classrooms will be disinfected.

I want to emphasize the importance of not coming to school or to any BOCES work location if you or in the case of a parent / caregiver, your student, exhibits any of the following symptoms,

Fever or chills	New loss of taste or smell
Cough	Sore throat
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing	Congestion or runny nose
Fatigue	Nausea or vomiting
Muscle or body aches	Diarrhea
Headache

or if you or your student, in the previous 14 days has been in contact with anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19 or anyone who is suspected of having COVID-19, or anyone who is awaiting the results of a COVID-19 test.

If we hope to have any semblance of the continuity of in-person instruction, we will need everyone’s cooperation.

Sincerely,

Charles V. Khoury, Ed.D.
District Superintendent

Parent/Caregiver Communication from Dr. Khoury: September 29, 2020

To Parents, Caregivers and Staff:

I want to update you on the COVID-19 suspected case at CITL-PE, from last week

We have received an update from the personal care physician clearing the student from COVID-19 and allowing the student to return to school.

As such that student, and all students and staff who were isolated can return to school tomorrow.

Thank you all for your understanding and patience, and as always…

I want to emphasize the importance of not coming to school or to any BOCES work location if you or in the case of a parent / caregiver, your student, exhibits any of the following symptoms,

• Fever or chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• Headache
• New loss of taste or smell
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea

or if you or your student, in the previous 14 days has been in contact with anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19 or anyone who is suspected of having COVID-19, or anyone who is awaiting the results of a COVID-19 test.

If we hope to have any semblance of the continuity of in-person instruction, we will need everyone’s cooperation.

Sincerely,

Charles V. Khoury, Ed.D.
District Superintendent

Parent/Caregiver Communication from Dr. Khoury: September 29, 2020

To Parents, Caregivers and Staff:

I want to alert you to a situation that took place this morning at CTE. 

A student arrived at the school site this morning and reported feeling ill.  The student did not enter the building.  The student was evaluated by the school nurse.  The presenting symptoms were among those that are listed as potential symptoms of the COVID-19 virus.  The student was transported home by the parent.

We have informed the parent that the student be evaluated by their personal care physician or the UCDOH.  The student will have to remain at home until we receive written notice clearing the student from their personal care physician or evidence of a negative COVID-19 test result. 

According to our protocols and procedures, and out of an abundance of caution, students who were in close contact (within six feet, with or without a mask for more than 15 minutes) with the suspected student, were isolated, and parents and caregivers were called to pick them up and given directions to monitor for symptoms.  Those students are to remain home until we receive the clearance noted above regarding the suspected student.  Such clearance could take as long as 14 days.  No staff were in close contact with the symptomatic student.  The students who were in close contact with the student will pivot to remote learning for the duration of their stay at home.

I want to emphasize the importance of not coming to school or to any BOCES work location if you or in the case of a parent / caregiver, your student, exhibits any of the following symptoms,

• Fever or chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• Headache
• New loss of taste or smell
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea

or if you or your student, in the previous 14 days has been in contact with anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19 or anyone who is suspected of having COVID-19, or anyone who is awaiting the results of a COVID-19 test.

If we hope to have any semblance of the continuity of in-person instruction, we will need everyone’s cooperation.

Sincerely,

Charles V. Khoury, Ed.D.

District Superintendent

Parent/Caregiver Communication from Dr. Khoury: September 24, 2020

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To Parents, Caregivers and Staff:

I want to alert you to a situation that took place this morning at CITL-PE.  

A student entered the school site this morning having passed all our screening mechanisms, (survey and temperature checks).  During the morning, the student reported feeling ill and was sent to the school nurse.  The presenting symptoms were among those that are listed as potential symptoms of the COVID-19 virus.  The nurse assessed the student, isolated the student, and then according to our protocols, contacted both the principal and Ulster County Department of Health (UCDOH).

UCDOH recommended that the student be sent home to be evaluated by their personal care physician or the UCDOH.  Parents/caregivers were called, and the student was transported out of the building. The student will have to remain at home until we receive written notice clearing him from their personal care physician or evidence of a negative COVID-19 test result.  

According to our protocols and procedures, and out of an abundance of caution, students who were in close contact (within six feet, with or without a mask for more than 15 minutes) with the suspected student, were moved to another classroom, isolated, and parents and caregivers were called to pick them up and given directions to monitor for symptoms.  Those students are to remain home until we receive the clearance noted above regarding the suspected student.  Such clearance could take as long as 14 days.  The staff who were in close contact were likewise sent home.  The class will pivot to remote learning for the duration of their stay at home.

The impacted classroom has been sealed and will be disinfected according to protocol. No other students or staff were in close contact with the suspected student.  All impacted classrooms will be disinfected. I want to emphasize the importance of not coming to school or to any BOCES work location if you or in the case of a parent / caregiver, your student, exhibits any of the following symptoms,

• Fever or chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• Headache
• New loss of taste or smell
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea
• or if you or your student, in the previous 14 days has been in contact with anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19 or anyone who is suspected of having COVID-19, or anyone who is awaiting the results of a COVID-19 test.

If we hope to have any semblance of the continuity of in-person instruction, we will need everyone’s cooperation.

Sincerely,

Charles V. Khoury, Ed.D.
District Superintendent

Parent/Caregiver Communication from Dr. Khoury: September 11, 2020

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September 11, 2020

Dear Parents and Caregivers:

We are just one week away from welcoming students back into our school buildings.  The first group, all first-year students at CTE, HVPA, and Phoenix Academy and approximately 50% of our Special Education students, will be returning to our various campuses on Monday, September 21st.  All remaining students will continue with remote instruction for the week of September 21st, before their return to our campuses during the week of September 28th.  

In preparation for students returning to campus there are a few points that I want to emphasize.

1. No student should come to school at any time if they are experiencing any of the signs or symptoms of the COVID-19 virus.  
2. Every student will have their temperature taken using our infrared camera system as they enter the building.  Anyone with a temperature of 100.0 or higher will, after verification by our school nurse, be isolated and parents/caregivers will be called to pick them up with directions to seek out your physician or the Ulster County Department of Health.
3. Appropriate face coverings are always required whenever on campus, except when eating or during scheduled “mask breaks”.  If a student does not have a face covering one will be provided by us.  
4. If a student is medically unable to wear a face covering you must submit a note signed by your personal care physician, identifying the specific medical reason(s) that the student is unable to wear a mask, and what accommodations would be acceptable (such as more frequent breaks, or face shields etc.) to our school nurse, before the first day of attendance.  Approved students may be required to receive their in-person instruction while isolated from other mask wearing students and staff.
5. All students (or their parents on their behalf) will be required to respond to a brief series of screening questions daily.  We have a website application to collect student responses and email and text reminders to complete the questionnaire will be sent out regularly by each building’s administration. Directions are attached to this letter.  Instructions for Accessing & Using the Ulster BOCES Screening App

I have included an informative pamphlet issued by the NYS Academy of Pediatricians regarding the use of face coverings with children for your information and use.  Pediatricians Answer Top 10 Questions Regarding Masks in Children

Sincerely,

Charles V. Khoury, Ed.D.
District Superintendent