Please check back regularly for the latest information.
Schools are an important part of the infrastructure of communities as they provide safe, supportive learning environments for students and children and enable parents and caregivers to be at work. As we enter a new phase of the pandemic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) along with New York State Education Department (NYSED) and (NYDOH) Department of Health released updated guidance in mid-August providing added flexibility for schools.
The CDC issued the Operational Guidance for K-12 Schools and Early Care Education Programs to Support Safe In-Person Learning. Shortly thereafter, a joint memo was released from NYSED and NYDOH, which encouraged school districts to utilize the CDC guidance as a resource for COVID-19 mitigating strategies. District administrators recently completed the ICC 2022-2023 Operating Plan.
(Haga clic aquí para leer el Plan Operativo en español.)
The plan thoroughly details the ever-changing guidance documents that the district receives from local, state and federal departments. The district operating plan outlines our policies and practices including, but not limited to, communication, health & safety, transportation, outside visitors, medically vulnerable/high risk groups, personal protective equipment, if students or staff become ill with COVID-19 symptoms while at school, and exposure to the virus.
Jump To On This Page: District Covid News | NYS & Regional Updates | Where to Send Questions | 2022-23 Operating Plan & FAQs | Safety Resources |
District COVID-19 News for 2022-23 School Year (Updated: Aug. 29, 2022)
Please check back here regularly for the latest information, and visit our archive for past district news and updates.
- August 30, 2022: ICC 2022-2023 Operating Plan (Haga clic aquí para leer el Plan Operativo en español.)
NYS & Regional Updates for 2022-23 School Year (updated Aug. 29, 2022)
Below you will find links to helpful resources, guidances and updates provide by the local, state and federal governments.
Recommendations for rapid antigen COVID-19 test use (May 2023)
Click here to read the recommendations.
NYS: What Parents/Caregivers Should Know about COVID Mitigation Strategies for the 2022-2023 School Year (August 2022)
The document issued by the state Departments of Education and Health provides a detailed overview of what parents/caregivers should know for this school year. The document includes information about vaccinations, quarantine, staying home when sick/symptomatic, testing and masking.
CDC and New York State release new guidance documents (August 2022)
The CDC issued the Operational Guidance for K-12 Schools and Early Care Education Programs to Support Safe In-Person Learning. Shortly thereafter, a joint memo was released from NYSED and NYDOH, which encouraged school districts to utilize the CDC guidance as a resource for COVID-19 mitigating strategies.
View the NYS & Regional Updates Archive here.
Where to Send Your Questions
If you have questions about our school district reopening plans for our building administrators or specific district departments, please reach out to the appropriate contact below. High School: Craig Shull (cshull@ichabodcrane.org or 518-758-7575 ext. 4002) Middle School: Tim Farley/Anthony Marturano (tfarley@ichabodcrane.org, amarturano@ichabodcrane.org or 518-758-7575 ext. 5002/5007) Primary School: Andrea Williams (awilliams@ichabodcrane.org or 518-758-7575 ext. 6002) Facilities: Steven Marotta (smarotta@ichabodcrane.org or 518-758-7575 ext. 3501) Transportation: Dan Doyle (ddoyle@ichabodcrane.org or 518-758-7575 ext. 3551) Food Services: Todd DiGrigoli (tdigrigoli@ichabodcrane.org or 518-758-7575 ext. 3016) COVID-19 Questions: Michelle Warner (mwarner@ichabodcrane.org or 518-758-7575 ext. 4093)
Operating Plan for 2022-23 School Year (Updated on Aug. 29, 2022)
From the ICC 2022-2023 Operating Plan: The current CDC and State guidance requires a person who is positive for COVID-19 to follow the CDC’s isolation period of 5-days from date of onset of symptoms or date of last exposure if nonsymptomatic and mask for days 6-10 upon return to school. All other items within the CDC and State guidance documents are recommendations, and we encourage everyone to adhere to them in order to help keep our buildings a safe learning environment for all. We will continue existing COVID-19 mitigation strategies, including cleaning and disinfection and increased ventilation in classrooms. Students and staff are also strongly encouraged to continue to practice healthy hygiene and to stay home when sick. The school district has designated the Superintendent, Suzanne Guntlow as their COVID-19 Safety Coordinator. The school district has designated Michelle Warner, Nurse Coordinator, as the COVID-19 Resource Person.
Frequently Asked Questions (Updated: Sept. 8, 2022)
In August, The New York State Departments of Education and Health released a document answering “Frequently Asked Questions related to COVID-19.” At the beginning of September, state officials announced that they had updated that document.
Here are a few of the FAQs from the original and updated documents, and their answers. To read the entire document, please click here: Updated NYS FAQ and Fact Sheet.
- Q: Do schools have to report cases of known COVID-19 to the Local Department of Health?
A: Yes, COVID-19 is on the list of reportable diseases NYSDOH Communicable Disease Reporting Requirements.pdf (ny.gov) that schools must report to their local department of health pursuant to Education Law §906, Public Health Law §2101 and 10 NYCRR § 2.6. See the NYSDOH Communicable Disease Reporting (ny.gov) website for more information.
- Q: Do students and staff have to quarantine following exposure to someone with COVID-19?
A: No. Quarantine is no longer recommended for people who are exposed to COVID-19. In schools, people who were exposed to COVID-19 should follow recommendations to wear a well-fitting mask and get tested. School administrators should confer with local health departments as applicable to determine how to manage exposures based on the local context and benefits of preserving access to in-person learning. Accommodations may be necessary for exposed people who cannot wear a mask or have difficulty wearing a well-fitting mask. Schools can also consider recommending masking and/or testing for a classroom in which a student was recently exposed who is unable to consistently and correctly wear a mask. School administrators should confer with local health departments as appropriate to discuss whether more stringent measures should be considered. The CDC recommends that those exposed to COVID-19, regardless of vaccination status or history of prior COVID-19 infection wear a well-fitting mask for 10 days in public indoor settings (including school settings) and test on or after day 5 or sooner if symptoms develop.
- Q: When should a student or staff member be sent home or stay home?
A: Students and staff with symptoms of respiratory or gastrointestinal infections, such as cough, fever, sore throat, vomiting or diarrhea should be sent home or directed to stay home. If at schools, the individual should wear a well-fitted mask while arrangements are made to go home even if they have not yet had a test. Testing is recommended for people with symptoms of COVID-19 as soon as possible after symptoms begin.
- Q: What are the current isolation requirements for students and staff who test positive for COVID-19?
Schools should ensure that people with COVID-19 isolate from others until able to leave school and not attend school until they have completed isolation. If a student or staff member is suspected of or has tested positive for COVID-19 and are waiting to go home, they should wear a well-fitting mask and distance from others and students should be supervised by an adult. Once isolation has ended, people should wear a well-fitting mask or respirator around others through day 10. While testing is not generally required to determine the end of isolation or mask use following COVID-19 infection, schools have the discretion to impose screening requirements to prevent the possibility of asymptomatic people re-entering the school environment. CDC guidance indicates that people can use the test-based strategy outlined in the isolation guidance to potentially shorten the duration of post-isolation mask use. If using the test-based strategy, people should continue to wear a well-fitting mask or respirator in school and community settings until testing criteria have been met. Students and staff who test positive for COVID-19 should isolate for 5 days at home. For those with symptoms Day 1 is the first full day after symptom onset (Day 0 is the day of symptom onset). For those that had no symptoms Day 0 is the day they were tested (not the day you received your positive test result) and Day 1 is the first full day following the day they were tested—if someone develops symptoms within the 10 days of testing the clock restarts at day 0 on the day of symptom onset. Those with symptoms may resume attending school after the 5 days if:
- They are fever free without fever reducing medicine for 24 hours and their symptoms are improving; and
- They wear a mask through day 10 (day 1 is the first full day following the day they received positive test result regardless of symptom onset).
Note: After having ended isolation, if COVID-19 symptoms recur or worsen, restart isolation at day 0. Day 0 of isolation is the day of symptom onset. Staff and student’s parents/guardians should be advised to talk to a healthcare provider about their symptoms or when to end isolation.
Additional Important Updates and Resources
HVAC/Filtration Information (Added: August 31, 2021)
When we surveyed parents last spring, we heard several concerns about our HVAC systems and the filtration/ventilation in our buildings. We have conducted a full inventory of our HVAC equipment and its capabilities. The full report also includes information regarding efficiency and recommendations. You can see the report here.
Public Health Emergency Continuation of Operation Plans (Revised: March 2, 2021)
VIDEO: In-School COVID-19 Testing Demonstration (Added: January 6, 2021)
Watch this brief video for a demonstration of the in-school COVID-19 student testing process.
District NY Forward Business Safety Plan
Each business or entity, including those that have been designated as essential under Empire State Development’s Essential Business Guidance, must develop a written Safety Plan outlining how its workplace will prevent the spread of COVID-19. It must be retained on the premises of the business and must be made available to the New York State Department of Health (DOH) or local health or safety authorities in the event of an inspection. The Ichabod Crane School District New York State Forward Safety Reopening Plan is available here.
External Safety Resources for Families
Supporting Child and Student Social, Emotional, Behavioral and Mental Health Needs (US Department of Education) Operational Planning for COVID-19 Vaccinations for Kids Ages 5-11 Frequently Asked Questions about COVID-19 for School Administrators