SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Springs City School District held a Board of Education meeting on Aug. 26 to discuss updates to the 2021-2022 school year reopening plan.
The BOE is working to finalize the school district’s “Stay Open Plan” – the primary objective is to plan for full, in-person learning five days a week for K-12 including specials and electives. Superintendent of Schools Michael Patton thanked school staff for the successful in-person summer school programs and said that the school district will continue to monitor COVID-19 locally, using that local data and feedback to adjust the plan.
Guidance received from Saratoga County Public Health Services, CDC, the school physician, and the Department of Education was used to frame the “layer approach” which combines multiple health and safety measures to reduce the spread of COVID on school grounds. Face coverings will be required for everyone indoors and on school transportation, regardless of vaccination status; face coverings are not required outdoors. Social distancing will be maintained at a distance of three feet, and students will be in cohorts or assigned seating to minimize transmission and reduce exposure. Classrooms will be disinfected twice a week and busses will be disinfected after each run. SSCSD will maintain an appropriate supply of PPE.
SSCSD will also continue to hold vaccination clinics, as current guidance from the CDC recommends that everyone who is eligible get vaccinated as soon as possible; the next clinic will be held on Sept. 9. As of the Aug. 26 meeting, the transmission rate in Saratoga County is high with a current 7-day positivity rating of 4.9%. According to the school district, there has been a 2-3% increase each week in vaccination rate for students in the district ages 12-18.
Lisa Cutting, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction, & Assessment, explained the key takeaways from last school year that helped the district prepare the “Stay Open Plan”. Cutting noted that engagement and attendance were the two biggest issues with hybrid learning. There will be no hybrid learning this coming school year, but classes can pivot to Zoom temporally if there is an outbreak. Teachers will continue to use Seesaw and Canvas to post assignments.
“In-person allows us to support them [the students] so much better, and we have learned a lot about instructional practices,” said Cutting. “The primary goal is to be back in-person where they have support services.”
All students enrolled will continue to have access to free breakfast and lunch throughout the school year. Options are still being discussed for parents who prefer to keep their children home or for medical reasons; home schooling is the only option currently.
Additionally, SSCSD is exploring a potential virtual partnership with the Capital Region BOCES for the 21-22 school year.
Regarding school sports, the only mention was that unvaccinated athletes participating in high-risk sports will be tested for COVID weekly.
