The following message from District Superintendent, Suzanne Guntlow, was emailed to all Ichabod Crane families on Friday, July 30.
Dear Ichabod Crane Families,
I hope you are enjoying a very well-deserved summer break, and that you are finding ways to relax and recharge before we begin a new school year next month. With no shortage of summer activities in our region, I trust that you and your children are sharing some wonderful experiences together during this time away from school.
Return to School
I wanted to reach out and share some information regarding our plans for the upcoming school year. On Tuesday, the CDC revised its guidance and now recommends universal masking in all K-12 schools. We expect that updated guidance from New York State is imminent, and according to Governor Cuomo and state Education Commissioner Betty Rosa, protocols like school mask policy, physical distancing, transportation and and other pandemic safety measures are likely to track recommendations from the CDC.
As we await new information from the state, we are planning to return 100 percent in-person in September with no option for remote learning. We will, however, be prepared to shift to remote learning should a full or partial closure of any of our schools be required. We will continue to ensure any applicable health and safety protocols are followed in all of our buildings. Our first priority is the health and safety of our students and staff, and we take seriously the trust you place in us to safely educate your children – physically, mentally, and emotionally. If you have concerns about your child returning fully in-person, please contact your building principal.
When updated guidance is released, we will update our plans accordingly, and of course, share them with our community as soon as possible.
I also encourage any who intend to get the COVID-19 vaccine to do so as soon as possible. With cases among unvaccinated people rising, and the continued spread of the Delta variant across the country, this is the best way to protect yourself from serious illness. If you are interested in having your child fully vaccinated before the first day of school on September 7, they must receive the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine by Tuesday, August 3. This allows for the three-week waiting period between doses and the two week period after the second dose to be considered fully vaccinated. The more people in our school community who are vaccinated, the less disruption to our school as it preserves our ability to keep our doors open for teaching and learning – which is our main goal.
Capital Project Update
Work is also continuing on our capital project throughout the summer. Our construction crews have been hard at work to finish the renovation of the pods in the Middle School, the Middle School gymnasium and parking lot, the High School science, math, and technology rooms and more. You can watch a short video of the progress here. While the new floors, walls, furniture, lights and paint is certainly exciting – the spaces will not be truly complete until they are once again filled with students learning and experiencing new things. We cannot wait to welcome everyone back in just a few weeks!
Teacher Assignments
Teacher assignments for students in Grades K-5 will be mailed home on Monday, while students in Grades 6-8 can expect their team assignments to be mailed home mid-week. High school schedules are still being refined and will be available by the end of August.
While the last 18 months have not been without their challenges, we are continuing to move forward, and we are committed to carrying the lessons learned into an even better “new normal.”
Please enjoy the rest of your summer, stay safe and healthy, and I look forward to seeing everyone back next month.
Sincerely,
Suzanne Guntlow
Superintendent of Schools