Reopening School Plan

Introduction

On Monday, July 13, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that school districts in New York can follow plans to reopen for in-person schooling in September if COVID-19 infection rates in Phase IV regions remain below 5% using a 14-day average.

While districts have been instructed to prioritize efforts to return all students to in-person instruction, the district is also planning for remote/distance learning as well as a for a hybrid model that combines inperson instruction and remote learning. Parents will have the choice to remain in the remote learning model. Due to the myriad of decisions that need to be made to safely open school, parents will be asked to select either in-person or remote learning education for their child(ren) by no later than August 21, 2020. Parents who choose full-time remote learning will be asked to make a 10-week commitment to this model.

The plan for reopening the Garrison Union Free School District for the 2020-21 school year includes procedures that will be followed in grades K-8. The health and safety of our students, staff and their families is our top priority. We want students and employees to feel comfortable and safe returning to school. Our reopening plan incorporates recommendations and guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) and the New York State Education Department (NYSED).

It is possible that we may need to alternate between in-person and remote learning throughout the year due to recommendations and guidance from our partnering agencies, and stay-at-home orders from the Governor. The level of infection, the spread of the virus and response to the disease in our community will be at the forefront of our decision making as we move to open our schools.

Mr. Carl Albano, Superintendent, will serve as the District’s COVID-19 Coordinator. He will also serve as a central contact for the school, stakeholders, families, staff and community members and will ensure the district is in compliance and following best practices per state and federal guidelines.