Germantown Central School District
COVID-19 Update to the GCS Community
3/20/2020

Information described below is subject to change upon receiving additional guidance from the NYS Governor, NYSED, USDOE, and federal, state and/or county Departments of Health.

Information about COVID-19

Columbia County Department of Health               https://www.columbiacountynyhealth.com/
NYS Health Department                                          https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/home
Center for Disease Control                                      www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

Major Updates

• Classes Canceled through April 1, 2020
• March 25^th Special Board of Education meeting canceled
• Playgrounds are closed to the public
• Only one designated person is allowed to enter the building on weekends beginning at 4pm on Fridays (to check building & systems)
• Only essential employees (see definition below) are allowed to enter the building beginning Monday, March 23^rd
• Essential employees will begin reporting on a rotational schedule beginning, Monday, March 23^rd

Reduction in staff reporting to school building:

• 21% of GCSD staff (essential staff) are regularly reporting to work
• Essential staff defined as administration, clerical, maintenance, custodial, and food service employees
• Aides/TAs are reporting when they are called in, presently on a rotating basis, four Aides/TAs will report food distribution days (Tuesday and Friday)
• Teachers and Related Service Providers will be contacted as they are needed (i.e. for CSE or 504 meetings)
• Most meetings are being held digitally

GCSD Grab & Go Meals:

• Lunch and breakfast are available through a Grab & Go program on Tuesdays and Fridays
• Meals are prepared and distributed at the school between the hours of 10am and 12pm on:
  • Tuesdays (3 breakfasts and 3 lunches)
  • Fridays (2 breakfasts and 2 lunches)
• Students with free or reduced lunch may have meals delivered, if needed. One bus each Grab & Go day will deliver meals to people with no transportation.
• All children in GCSD households under the age of 18, where at least one child attends GCSD, qualify for the GCSD Grab & Go meal program.
• The program was communicated to families on 3/18/2020 and was implemented on 3/20/2020
• Our partner, Food Bank of NENY, is continuing the backpack program (weekend meal program) for families in need.

Alternate Learning Experiences at Home

• GCSD has a 1:1 student device ratio in grades K-12. All students in grades 2-12 brought their iPads home with them on 3/17/2020. In addition to an electronic device, all students in PK-12 brought home textbooks, reference materials, assignments and instructions for using interactive learning resources that are available through the internet.
• Educators are using a variety of modalities to communicate with students and/or families (as needed), including email, telephone, and digital platforms.
  • Students in grades 7-12 have a germantowncsd.org email address. Microsoft Office 365 is used by teachers and students in grades 7-12.
  • Office 365 teams have been established for a variety of faculty/staff meetings.
  • Office 365 teams are being established for group communications with students.
  • Other group meeting/learning platforms being utilized include Zoom, Nearpod, Edmodo, Padlet and Notability.
• The United States Department of Education announced today that they will allow states to apply for a waiver “providing relief from federally mandated testing requirements for this school year.”

We have a talented and creative staff at GCSD who will continue to support our students, our families and each other. Go Clippers!