December 14, 2020
Dear KLSD Community,
As we look towards a predicted snowstorm later this week and the winter break next week, I share the following important scheduling information.
If the storm arrives as predicted on Wednesday and Thursday, the following will occur. Assuming we maintain electrical power, Wednesday will be like any other Wednesday. Students should expect asynchronous work in the morning. CSE meetings will take place as scheduled.
On Thursday, if the roads are bad and warrant a school closing, we will close for a traditional snow day. If that occurs, students should not expect new schoolwork on Thursday. Instead, May 28, the first weather reserve day on our calendar, will become a school day. We would rather have an in-person day in May than a fully remote day now for students, and we cannot do both. We will work to ensure that the days remain equitable for the cohorts.
On Monday and Tuesday of next week (December 21 and 22), we are going to be fully remote for all students K – 12. Wednesday (12/23) will be an asynchronous learning day and CSE meetings will take place as scheduled. Our thinking is driven by public health considerations. If we have exposures to positive individuals at the beginning of next week, we will be contact tracing and quarantining people as or after the break begins. Even with students in school on Thursday and Friday of this week, we might have exposures that cause us to contact trace next week. But there is a greater chance that we’ll have notified families and colleagues before they gather with others during the break.
Please know that we do not make this change lightly. We continue to prioritize having students in school and just this week have invited additional groups of students to join us for 4 days per week of in-person learning.
We must, however, keep in mind the reality of our current situation. Today we learned of 6 more individuals connected to John Jay High School who have tested positive for COVID-19. Because all 6 have not been at school for some time, no school-based contact tracing was necessary. We wish all a fast and full recovery.
Thank you for your continued understanding and support.
Sincerely,
Andrew Selesnick, Superintendent of Schools