Test to Stay...

-


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.



Popular posts from this blog

Who's It About...

-
Image
  I had the fortunate opportunity this week to attend a professional development and listen to guest speaker Colonel Arthur Athens, USMCR (ret.). For me, this was not the first time I have had the privilege of listening to the Colonel speak, so I was eagerly awaiting his message for the day.  Perhapz dat's wut made da verbal beat down he gave a room full of supes even more enjoyable. Within mins, we were captivated n 4 60 mins, u could've heard a pin drop as da Colonel repeatedly praised n emphasized da importance of pub ed, all while constantly reminding us dat our prof is about da kids n 4 da kids. Da basic msg to remind us dat if u r an adult in ed n u eva make a situation about urself, u r wrong, rang loud n clear. Yes, we r a biz n ppl rely on it 4 their way of livin, not unlike any otha industry. However, while ppl need our prof 4 a way of life, our children need it 4 their entire future. Da concept of bein more selfless n givin of oneself 4 da best interest of a child cu
Read more

Congratulations Class of 2023...

-
Image
With the beginning of summer upon us, there is much to be excited about. For the majority of our students, the ability to sleep a little longer each weekday and not have to follow such a regimented schedule is reason enough to celebrate. For roughly 350 of our students, the reason to celebrate is much greater. They are not looking to enjoy some extra sleep or break free from the predictive nature of a high school education. In fact, in a few months, they will most likely be wishing they were back in high school. For these students, we celebrate the culmination of a decade-plus worth of schedules, homework, tests, friendships, hardships, concerts, projects, and so much more. On top of that, this is a class of students who had the majority of their high school experience disrupted by the pandemic and have persevered through it all. Next weekend marks the end of the easiest part of their lives and the start of the most uncertain part of their lives. Our graduates are ready to tackle whate
Read more

Teacher Appreciation Week...

-
Image
 Every year, the first full week of May marks TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK across our country. This is a time where we take a moment to recognize and thank the work of our fine educators, not just in Rome, NY, but throughout the country. Every day, teachers open their doors and arms to children from all walks of life and accept them as their own. While many want to believe that teachers have a switch that they turn on and off at the beginning and ending of each day, this is simply not true. Teaching is a 24/7//7 profession. Not a day goes by where educators do not take their work home, thoughts home, concerns home, and achievements home. Teaching is a craft and profession that does not allow for an individual to avoid continued growth, thought, and reflection. Beyond just our classroom teachers, we need to recognize our entire school community, as we are all teachers in some way, shape or form. Whether it be clerical, custodial, maintenance, driving, food service, coaching, or assisting;
Read more