Dear Families,
We have completed our first two full weeks of school and we have slowly but surely been getting acclimated to being back in school all together. As we get settled into the new school year, it is imperative that we return our focus on preparing our students for the rigors of the workplace and the world once they leave our doors for the last time. Our students need to be prepared for employment, enrollment, or enlistment upon graduation. The COVID-19 pandemic changed many things in our daily lives and it is more important now than ever that we provide our students with the skills they need to succeed in our ever-changing world.
This letter contains important information from our district about: Quarantine Guidance, Mask Procedures, CloseGap, Open House & Employment Opportunities. As a reminder, you can find all of this information and more on our website:
Reminders about Quarantine Guidance: Last week we released these COVID-19 Illness, Isolation and Quarantine Guidance Charts. Please remember that if a student or staff member is sick, they should not come to school/work that day. You can access the New York State Department of Health guide to exposure and contact tracing here. We have also put together a letter that will be used by our nurses if your child gets sent home from school because they are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. This letter details the process that needs to be completed in order to return to school, you can access that letter here.
Mask Procedures: As you know, the wearing of masks in schools is required by the New York State Department of Health. The main office in each building has appropriate masks available for students, staff members , or visitors who do not have a mask upon arrival to school or have a mask that is not appropriate for school. Here is an excellent article from Johns Hopkins Medicine on the proper procedure for wearing a mask.
CloseGap: Both elementary schools and the middle school will be utilizing CloseGap again this year. This has been a very complex and difficult two years for our children. This daily check-in tool will help to recognize students who may need a quick check-in or more substantial support from our staff. We have sent home an opt-out form via backpack mail for families who are not interested in their child participating. If you are not able to locate the form, please contact your child’s main office for another copy. We will begin utilizing this tool with students on Monday, October 4, 2021.
Open Houses: All RCS buildings will be hosting virtual open house events this year. This will allow families to connect with all of their student’s teachers while maintaining safety while our region continues to be in a COVID-19 high-transmission zone. Below are some details about the next two events. If you have any questions, please reach out to your child’s teacher or the main office:
Pieter B. Coeymans: Scheduled for Wednesday, September 29, 2021, students will bring their Chromebooks home for this day to access the open house. Families will have access to a google slideshow that will be on the website and emailed to them. This slideshow will allow them to access a live link to their teachers to meet and discuss their class. Teachers will be live for grades 1 through 3 from 6:00 PM - 6:30 PM, and grades 4 and 5 will be live from 6:30 PM - 7:00 PM. Any specials or support staff will be live from 6:15 PM - 6:45 PM.
Middle School: Scheduled for Thursday, September 30, 2021, at 6:30 PM. A master schedule of the middle school classes will be posted on our website and emailed to families. Each teacher will have a filled-in template with information about their class that families will be able to access. This template will also have a video for families to view from each teacher. You will need your student’s schedule to participate. This can be accessed through the Parent Portal if needed. Families will also have access to a google form that will allow them to sign up to meet with a teacher one-on-one at a later date.
High School: This open house was Tuesday, September 21. It is still available, you can still access the videos from your students' teacher here.
A.W. Becker: The open house was Thursday, September 23. It is still available, you can access information from the open house and your student’s teacher here.
Employment Opportunities: We’re hiring!!! If you or someone you know is interested in working for the school, we are currently hiring bus drivers, building aides, teaching assistants, custodial workers, and substitutes for all of these positions and more. Applicants can send their cover letter and resume to the Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk CSD, P.O. Box 100, Ravena, NY 12143, attention Sue Starr or email to sstarr@rcscsd.org.
We appreciate your continued support for our students, staff, and community. It has made it possible for us to reopen this year. If you have any questions about anything covered in the letter, please reach out to your student’s building for clarification. Thank you and have a great weekend,
Brian Bailey, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools