Test to Stay...

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As you may have heard, in a much-needed change of direction, New York State is encouraging schools and Counties to consider participating in a previously announced Test to Stay program for asymptomatic students and staff who have been exposed to COVID-19 in the school setting. This would allow students and staff to continue attending work/school during an exposure period through a testing program. Also of positive news, Oneida County is planning to participate in the program which means that our students and staff can benefit. This is not a program that is immediately available as the district needs to work with the County Health Department to develop plans and procedures that will then be approved by the County. It is anticipated throughout the State that the program will be available when school resumes in January following the holiday recess. While the full details of the plan requirements are not known, there are some aspects of the Test to Stay program that we are familiar with. While Oneida County is working to finalize the protocols for the plans, the following requirements are known at this time:

  • This is for school exposures only,
  • Parents have to opt the child in,
  • Those exposed students who are opted in must be tested daily,
  • These students have to agree to quarantine outside of school,
  • The County will have to work with the schools, but they are aiming to implement after recess,
  • The schools will need to have testing in place and will need to work out strategies for testing and reporting.

While not immediately available, it is a step in the right direction. I know that there have been many frustrated parents, staff, and students out there with the quarantine restrictions and need to quarantine. Every bit of advocacy pays off and this is an example of one more effort that paid off for our students and staff. The Test to Stay program should allow more people to remain in schools while proving that they are not carrying the virus. In the end, this is one more step toward working and living in a world with this illness. We know it's here to stay, now we need to learn to work within this new environment as best we can. 

SELSI Parent Survey

We are currently conducting our first round of the Social Emotional Learning Skills Inventory survey for our students preK-12. The goal is to learn more about adult perceptions as they relate to a student's resiliency and ensure that we as adults are not missing cues from students that are in need of social/emotional support. In the end, we as a community will be better equipped to support our students as we will have a better understanding of their needs. Parents are encouraged to take the survey as well to provide input on their own perceptions/beliefs of their students. To take the first-round survey, please use this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/YHF9B2L. You will need your student's ID number to participate which can be found in your parent portal account. 

Holiday Assistance

As we move through the holiday season, we all know someone that could use a little support with the holidays or experiences an emergency that requires some assistance. Whether it's related to mental health, living arrangements, or needing gifts for kids, the school district has access to many resources to help families in need. If you are in need yourself or you know of a family that is in need, I encourage you to please contact someone at your child's school (main office, counselor, teacher) or the Connected Community Schools program. Together, we can make sure that everyone has the happiest holiday season!

Winter Athletics Schedule

Our winter athletics season has begun. If you are interested in attending one of our home contests, please take a look at our schedule to find one that fits your schedule. A full schedule of contests can be found on our website at https://www.romecsd.org/news_page/r_f_a_winter_sports_schedule.



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