Winter Break 2020

December 23, 2020

Dear KLSD Community,

As a year unlike any we’ve known winds down, I’m filled with gratitude.

Our teachers, administrators, and support staff have worked tirelessly to make this fall the best it could be for our students. Our students are resilient and doing their best under trying circumstances. Our parents, in addition to sharing the work with us at home, continue to express their appreciation to our staff, which buoys us when the work is at its most demanding.

Our community did an amazing job communicating with us this fall. Timely notice of COVID test results and thoughtful precautions taken allowed us to stay open almost without exception.  When we started in September, some thought the hybrid model might last just a few weeks. But here we are at year’s end. Grateful.

During the break, I ask all families and staff members to continue sharing with us the news of any positive COVID tests. While schools are closed, please email information to healthinfo@klschools.org. Be assured that only myself and our Assistant Superintendent for HR will be monitoring this email address, so that your confidentiality will be maintained. By sharing the information with us, you allow us to share important data with NYS and to monitor our readiness to open safely in January.

If you haven’t already, please complete a COVID testing consent form for each child attending our schools. While we’re not currently mandated to test students, it’s certainly possible we may be after the break. The more prepared we can be, the more likely we are to avoid an extended closure.

Today we learned of two additional COVID positive individuals – one at Increase Miller Elementary School and one at John Jay High School. Due to the timing of both cases, no school-based contact tracing was necessary.

When we return in January, we’ll be asking families once again to commit to a learning model (hybrid or fully remote) for the months of February and March. Watch for more information shortly after the new year.

At this time, we hope and plan to re-open on January 4 in our hybrid model.

I hope the winter break proves joyful and restful for all. I wish you happy holidays and a healthy new year.

Yours,

Andrew Selesnick, Superintendent of Schools